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Dov Waxman, professor of Israel studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), spoke to Al Jazeera about the possible implications of Gantz’s departure from the government.

Waxman noted that Gantz’s party, the National Unity Party, was not part of Netanyahu’s original ruling coalition and that his decision to join a unity government gave the coalition a degree of “domestic legitimacy.” With Gantz’s resignation, political pressure on the prime minister is likely to increase – both at home and abroad, Waxman explained.

“This government was deeply unpopular even before October 7, but Gantz’s entry into power stabilized the government and gave it some domestic legitimacy. Without Gantz and his partners, the government will lose that domestic legitimacy, and that will increase the pressure on Netanyahu to hold early elections.”

“But I don’t think Netanyahu will do that because he knows that his party would lose this election, at least according to current opinion polls. He and his coalition partners are determined to stay in power as long as possible.

“Internationally, particularly in the West and in the United States, Gantz was seen, rightly or wrongly, as a kind of moderating influence – the so-called adult in the room – and I think that has somewhat reduced the international pressure that Netanyahu would have faced. Without Gantz, I think Netanyahu will probably face more pressure from the Biden administration and more international pressure, because frankly that’s the only moderating influence that Netanyahu will face now. So that international pressure, I think, is probably going to increase.”