Benny Gantz

**Benjamin "Benny" Gantz** (; born 9 June 1959) is an Israeli politician and general. In March 2020, Gantz was elected Speaker of the Knesset. He was the 20th Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces from 14 February 2011 to 16 February 2015. In May 2020, he became the Alternate Prime Minister of Israel.

Gantz was set to become Prime Minister on 17 November 2021, however after a coalition government was formed in June 2021, Naftali Bennett became prime minister with Yair Lapid as the alternate.

Since 13 June 2021, Gantz has been both justice minister and deputy prime minister in the Bennett-Lapid Government.

## Early life

Gantz was born in Kfar Ahim, Israel, in 1959. His mother Malka was a Holocaust survivor. His father was arrested by the British authorities for trying to enter Palestine illegally. His parents were among the founders of Moshav Kfar Ahim, a cooperative agricultural community in south-central Israel.

He has a bachelor's degree in history from Tel Aviv University, a master's degree in political science from the University of Haifa, and an additional master's degree in National Resources Management from the National Defense University in the United States.

## Chief of the General Staff

On 13 February 2011, the Israeli government unanimously approved Gantz to be the next IDF chief of staff. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in the weekly Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem that Gantz was an "excellent officer and experienced commander, and had rich operational and logistical experience, with all the attributes needed to be a successful army commander".

In his first year as Chief of the General Staff, Gantz appointed the IDF's first-ever female major-general, Orna Barbivai.

In July 2011, Gantz appointed a special committee to talk about a controversy that had started after a concerning mention of the word _Elohim_, "God", in the military Yizkor prayer. The committee determined that a passage should read _Yizkor 'Am Yisrael_, "May the Nation of Israel remember", and not _Yizkor Elohim_, "May God remember". Gantz supported the committee's ruling.

Gantz commanded the IDF when it fought against Palestinian factions in Gaza and Operation Protective Edge.

## Business career

Gantz was the chairman of the Fifth Dimension which specialized in tracking via smartphone spyware. The company closed due to financial reasons.

## Party founder

In December 2018, he created a new political party named Israel Resilience (Hosen L'Yisrael). The party later merged with Telem and Yesh Atid to form Kachol Lavan.

## 2020 election

On 20 April 2020, Gantz and Benjamin Netanyahu announced an agreement on a unity government had been reached following the 2020 legislative election. The deal would involve both parties splitting power and Gantz and Netanyahu taking turns being prime minister. The deal says Gantz will be Vice Prime Minister until October 2021, by then he will become Prime Minister.

## Knesset speaker

On 26 March 2020, Gantz was elected as Knesset speaker, replacing Likud's Yuli-Yoel Edelstein who resigned. He vowed that he would not serve under 'corrupt leader' who faces criminal charges.

## Netanyahu-Gantz Government

On 17 May 2020, Gantz became Defense Minister and also Vice Prime Minister in the Netanyahu-Gantz Government.

## Personal life

Gantz is married to Revital, with whom he has four children. He lives in Rosh HaAyin.

## Other websites

- Bio at Knesset Website

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Benny Gantz
- **image**: Israeli Minister Benny Gantz at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. on March 5, 2024 (cropped).jpg
- **party**: Blue and White (political alliance), Blue and White (2019-present)
- **office1**: 1st Alternate Prime Minister of Israel
- **term start1**: 17 May 2020
- **term end1**: 13 June 2021
- **primeminister1**: Benjamin Netanyahu
- **predecessor1**: _Office established_
- **successor1**: Yair Lapid
- **office2**: Ministerial roles
- **suboffice2**: Ministry of Defense (Israel), Minister of Defense
- **subterm2**: 2020–
- **suboffice3**: Ministry of Justice (Israel), Minister of Justice
- **subterm3**: 2021
- **suboffice4**: Deputy leaders of Israel#Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister
- **subterm4**: 2021–
- **office5**: Faction represented in the Knesset
- **suboffice5**: Blue and White (political alliance), Blue and White
- **subterm5**: 2019–
- **office6**: Military roles
- **suboffice6**: Chief of the General Staff (Israel), Chief of the General Staff
- **subterm6**: 2011–2015
- **office7**: Other roles
- **suboffice7**: List of Knesset speakers, Speaker of the Knesset
- **subterm7**: 2020
- **birth name**: Benjamin Gantz
- **birth place**: Kfar Ahim, Israel
- **spouse**: Revital
- **children**: 4
- **serviceyears**: 1977–2015
- **rank**: Rav Aluf
- **branch**:  Israel Defense Forces
- **commands**: * 890 "Efe" (Echis) Airborne Battalion (1987–1989)
* Shaldag Unit (1989–1992)
* Reserve Paratroopers Brigade (1992–1994)
* Judea Regional Brigade (1994–1995)
* Paratroopers Brigade (1995–1997)
* "Etgar" Division (1998–1999)
* Lebanon Liaison Unit (1999–2000)
* Northern Corps (2001), West Bank Division, Judea and Samaria Division (2000–2002)
* Northern Command (Israel), Northern Command (2002–2005)
* GOC Army Headquarters, Ground Forces Command (2005–2007)
* Military Attaché in the United States (2007–2009)
* Deputy Chief of General Staff (2009–2010)
* Chief of General Staff (Israel), Chief of the General Staff (2011–2015)
- **unit**: Paratroopers Brigade
- **battles**: * 1978 South Lebanon conflict
* 1982 Lebanon War
* South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000)
* First Intifada
* Second Intifada
* 2006 Lebanon War
* Operation Summer Rains
* Operation Cast Lead
* Operation Pillar of Defense
* Operation Protective Edge
- **mawards**: Legion of Merit, Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)
- **alma mater**: Tel Aviv University
Haifa University
National Defense University