Benny Gantz explained footage from last night's wedding of Haredi political advisor Moti Babchik's son, where he was seen warmly shaking hands with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
In his remarks, made during his press statement with MK Eisenkot at Kfar Hamaccabiah, and after severe criticism of the handshake from many left-wing people who mocked him on social media, he emphasized that he disagrees with almost all of Ben-Gvir's views but shook his hand to avoid publicly embarrassing him.
"I came to say congratulations," Gantz said. "And when someone extends their hand to me, a member of the Jewish people - even if it's someone whom I vehemently disagree with, I won't embarrass him, and I'll shake his hand, just like yesterday, when I went to visit a family of a hostage and a guy outside met me - who really holds opposite views from mine, I extended my hand and he said to me 'Yes, I'll shake your hand'. What happened?"
"What is this hatred," Gantz added, "Where do you want to take this and what are you making headlines from? Accompany me to all the places I go and you'll see the truth," Gantz concluded.
Many media figures were highly unimpressed with Gantz's publicized handshake. Journalist Barak Ravid, associated with the Israeli left, wrote, "The entire event at the current timing was tasteless and insensitive on a public level, and Gantz ignored that. Gantz pretends to be an alternative. A large part of his voters despise the coalition members he went to celebrate with. Gantz apparently disrespects his voters."