US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to meet with Israel’s Benny Gantz on Tuesday, according to a senior State Department official.
Gantz, a former Israeli defense minister and key war cabinet member, resigned from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government at the weekend after reaching his self-imposed deadline to leave if Netanyahu did not lay out a new plan for the war in Gaza.
Blinken will first meet with Netanyahu and defense minister Yoav Gallant on Monday evening, according to the official.
Blinken is on a multi-country visit to the Middle East, including stops in Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Qatar as part of US efforts to push for a ceasefire agreement.
Gantz is viewed as Netanyahu’s primary political rival. His resignation could risk further isolation for Israel on the world stage.
