Gantz to break silence, deliver public address and launch campaign
Sources in Gantz's party said the event was not a press conference, and reporters would not be allowed to ask any questions.
By GIL HOFFMANUpdated: JANUARY 24, 2019 01:15Former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz celebrates Tu Bishvat with young volunteers of his Hosen L'Israel (Israel Resilience) Party.(photo credit: Courtesy)
Former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz will deliver his first full length speech, since his entry into politics next Tuesday at the opening event of the campaign for his Israel Resilience (Hosen L’Israel) Party.Gantz said three public sentences noting the need to change the controversial Jewish Nation-State Law in a meeting with Druze protesters near his home in Rosh Ha’ayin on January 14. But that is all he has been willing to say until now.Sources in Gantz’s party said the event was not a press conference, and reporters would not be allowed to ask any questions. Potential candidates on the party’s Knesset list are expected to be revealed at the event, which will be held at the Tel Aviv Fairgrounds, near the new party’s headquarters.The Yediot Aharonot newspaper reported on Wednesday that one of the party’s candidates will be former Ra’anana mayor Eitan Ginzburg, who lost his bid for reelection on October 30. Ginsburg, who was a Labor Party activist for many years, was the first openly gay mayor in Israel.If Ginzburg runs, he would add to what is believed to be a record number of members of the LGBT community running for Knesset. The list includes MK Itzik Shmuli (Labor), MK Amir Ohana (Likud), Zehorit Sorek (Yesh Atid), Heidi Moses (Likud), Anat Nir (Meretz) and Avi Buskila (Meretz).Gantz is expected to reveal parts of his party’s political platform in the speech.Kann News reported on Tuesday night that members of the Israel Resilience Party campaign team have had to sign promises that they will keep details of the campaign secret.Gantz poked fun at his silence at the end of a campaign video released last week, saying that perhaps he had already said too much.
