Former Israeli Chief of Staff, Defense Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz joins Mideast Horizons for one of his most candid and comprehensive interviews since October 7. In this wide-ranging conversation with Asher Fredman, Gantz lays out his new security doctrine, insists that Hamas will be disarmed, and discusses Israel’s evolving strategy toward Iran, the Palestinian Authority, and the Abraham Accords.

Gantz breaks down:

• Why Israel cannot return to the pre–October 7 security paradigm.
• Whether an international force can really demilitarize Gaza.
• What happens if Hamas refuses to disarm.
• The day after Mahmoud Abbas and the looming crisis in the West Bank.
• How Israel should prepare for a regional defense alliance with Saudi Arabia and its Abraham Accords partners.
• The strategic lessons from past Gaza wars — and why Israel must adopt a new “strategic initiative” pillar.
• The future of U.S.–Israel military cooperation and debates over American aid.
• Israeli politics and the need for a State Commission of Inquiry into the events that led to October 7.

Direct, thoughtful, and at times blunt, Gantz offers a rare inside look into his thinking about the next five years, the risks ahead, and what it will take to secure Israel’s future.