Benny Gantz, left, is challenging Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming Israeli elections. (Wikimedia Commons/Getty Images)
JERUSALEM (JTA) — In a rare occurrence, the head of the main opposition party in Israel was briefed on recent security incidents.
Benny Gantz, who leads the Blue and White, received the briefing from security officials on orders from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, although he is not officially the opposition leader, the Kan public broadcaster reported. Gantz and his party remain the chief rival of Netanyahu and his Likud party in the Sept. 17 elections.
Gantz is a former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff. He and Netanyahu, also the defense minister, generally agree on defense issues.
The briefing comes following a weekend in which an Israeli teen was killed in a bomb attack, Israel allegedly struck Iranian targets in Syria and Palestinian terror targets in Lebanon, and rockets were fired from Gaza on southern Israel.
Gantz did not comment on the briefing, saying in a statement issued by the party: “As a general rule, Blue and White chairman Lt. Gen. (res.) Benny Gantz does not make a habit of discussing even the existence of security briefings, and certainly not their content.”
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