Benny Gantz in Washington: Who was playing who?

Did Gantz leverage his Washington visit to position himself as Netanyahu's successor, or is the Biden administration using him to recalibrate its stance towards Israel?

credit: VP Harris office

Negotiations in Cairo aimed at brokering a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war before Ramadan appear to have stalled.

Last weekend the U.S said Israel had “more or less accepted” the deal presented to an Israeli delegation in Qatar.” But Israel didn’t send a delegation to the latest round of negotiations between Hamas and international mediators in Cairo because Hamas has not yet produced a list of 40 elderly, sick and female hostages who would be released as a first phase of a six-week ceasefire, beginning with the month of Ramadan.

President Biden suggested today that Hamas was holding up the talks, telling reporters ““No excuses, we must get more aid into Gaza. Ceasefire is in the hands of Hamas right now.”

Ultimately, I think there will be a deal because both sides want one. Hamas is under a lot of pressure: They need the pause to regroup and rearm. And if there is no pause in the fighting, Israel intends to move against Rafah. It’s blindingly obvious Israel should move the million Palestinians out of harm’s way first, but that’s by no means guaranteed. . Plus, a deal would give Hamas a big boost to get hundreds of Palestinian prisoners released before Ramadan.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, too, is under intense pressure from the Israeli public to get the hostages released. For Israel, this is the best opportunity since the last hostage release to bring some-40 more hostages home, including the elderly, the sick and women.

I will return to what happens during the ceasefire when one is finally reached. Today I want to talk about Israel’s wartime cabinet member Benny Gantz’s visit to Washington. It has been billed as an opportunity to talk about Israel’s war plans and the need to get more aid into Gaza , but is a more sideshow to the actual negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage release.

By inviting himself to Washington, Gantz has not just stepped into the limelight; he's thrust himself center stage in a political drama teeming with irony. Ostensibly auditioning for the role of "Israel's Next Prime Minister," Gantz navigates the treacherous waters between Washington's expectations and the hardline realities of Israeli politics.

Gantz, a former Israeli army chief and defense minister donning his moderate veneer and a penchant for being everything Netanyahu is not, emerges as the unexpected protagonist in a plot twist that might have had Shakespeare nodding in approval.

Perceived as the harbinger of dialogue, and reason, Gantz contrasts starkly with Netanyahu's hardline approach, especially on matters such as Gaza, where humanitarian concerns clash with political imperatives.

The Biden administration, eager to recalibrate the U.S.-Israel relationship amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, sees in Gantz a potential ally for a new chapter. A chapter where aid flows more freely into Gaza and discussions about a lasting ceasefire could pave the way for a more stable future.

Yet, amid diplomatic pleasantries, an underlying question looms large: Who's playing who? Is Gantz leveraging his Washington sojourn to position himself as Netanyahu's successor, or is the Biden administration using him to recalibrate its stance towards Israel?

Oh, the irony! Flashback to 2015, and there's Netanyahu, commandeering the stage of American politics, addressing Congress in a bold move to thwart the Obama administration's Iran nuclear deal. Fast forward to the present, and his political rival basks in the glow of the White House, a privilege Netanyahu hasn't savored this term. Now, Netanyahu watches from the sidelines, arguably in a mix of incredulity and rage, as Gantz enjoys the very limelight he once considered his divine right.

Netanyahu's directive for the Israeli embassy to abstain from participating in Gantz's visit speaks volumes of the political theater at play, reflecting deep maneuverings and the stark contrast in popularity back home. The unfolding drama paints both Gantz and Netanyahu as pawns in a larger game of international diplomacy, entwining the lives and futures of Israeli hostages and Gazans in a mix of political ambition and humanitarian need.

Gantz's storyline, filled with the potential for political change yet marred by unpredictability, is still unfolding in Washington. Biden seems to be auditioning him for the role of peacemaker. It's as if Gantz was being told, "Help us help you," a plea for Israel to facilitate more aid, with the subtext being a potential shift in U.S.-Israel relations.

Yet, while rhetorically supportive, U.S. officials remain unsure of Gantz's positions on critical issues such as the offensive on Rafah and the overarching goal of total victory over Hamas—positions that Netanyahu has unabashedly championed. The question remains: Is Gantz the hero we've been waiting for, or merely a guest star in a series in desperate need of a recast? This skepticism casts a shadow over Gantz's visit, complicating the narrative and blurring the lines between ally and adversary.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who hosted Gantz in Washington, has also stepped into the spotlight, adopting the role of the administration's vocal conscience and calling for an “immediate ceasefire.” Her fiery rhetoric on the humanitarian crisis—a "bad cop" approach—stands in stark contrast to a White House strategy that appears measured yet somewhat perplexed. Biden, in a delicate balancing act, airdrops aid into Gaza. It's a gesture as hopeful as it is desperate - showing the limitations of American influence in this conflict and a solution that is like dousing a wildfire with a teacup - while maintaining the weapons pipeline to Israel open.

Gantz's visit has become a defining moment, a reckoning of sorts as the U.S. grapples with its unwavering support for Israel and the urgent need for humanitarian relief in Gaza. He was grilled during his two-days of meetings at the White House and on Capitol Hill about Israel’s war strategy and received tough messages about getting more aid into Gaza to relieve what Harris calls a "catastrophic" situation, underscoring the weight of the role Gantz seeks to fill—a role requiring more than merely not being Netanyahu.

And what of Netanyahu, you ask? Oh, he's watching, perhaps with a scowl, as his political rival makes inroads with his once-staunch ally. It's a political gambit that reeks of desperation and strategy in equal measure, a maneuver right out of Netanyahu's own playbook—only this time, he's on the receiving end.

The ultimate irony might lie in the possibility that Netanyahu, in striving to secure his political future, may have inadvertently set the stage for his rival, while the people of Gaza and the Israeli hostages await the tangible outcomes of these high-stakes diplomatic and political maneuvers, while the question of who is playing who remains unanswered.