Middle East

Benny Gantz will have his chance at this task. Much hangs in the balance. It’s the first time in over a decade that an Israeli politician other than Netanyahu has had such an opportunity. While it is far from clear that Gantz will be successful – the odds aren’t great, and Israelis may well find themselves returning to the polls for an unprecedented third election in a year – one thing is increasingly clear: something is changing in Israel. [Daniel Sokatch]

Gantz seems to have learnt the trade. His speech last night when accepting the president’s charge to form the next government – now when Netanyahu has failed to do so – was excellent. It left many of us with the impression that here’s a man prepared to lead a united country, whereas the leaders of other parties, not least Netanyahu himself, are bent on fragmentation. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]