The far-right Otzma Yehudit party, headed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, announced on Motzoei Shabbos its intention to carry out its warning to leave the governing coalition. Party members plan to submit their resignations on Sunday morning in protest of Israel’s decision to agree to a hostage-ceasefire arrangement with Hamas in Gaza.
“In light of the approval of the reckless agreement with the terrorist organization Hamas… the Otzma Yehudit party will submit letters of resignation from the government and the coalition tomorrow morning, and ministers Ben Gvir, [Yitzhak] Wasserlauf and [Amichay] Eliyahu, as well as committee chairs MKs [Zvika] Fogel and [Limor Son] Har-Melech and MK [Yitzhak] Kroizer, will leave their positions,” the party said in a statement.
On the other hand, the Religious Zionism party, also on the far-right and led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, will stay in the coalition despite its opposition to the agreement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly reached a compromise with Smotrich to ensure his faction remains within the government framework.
Under the terms of the agreement negotiated in Qatar and approved early Shabbos morning by the Israeli government, up to 1,904 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including individuals convicted of multiple murders in terror attacks, will be released in exchange for 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza. The arrangement, spanning an initial 42-day phase, was brokered between Israeli and Hamas representatives.
Speaking to Channel 12 on Motzoei Shabbos, following Otzma Yehudit’s announcement, Ben Gvir claimed Netanyahu had tried to dissuade him from resigning by offering significant concessions. According to Ben Gvir, the prime minister proposed firing IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and allowing Ben Gvir to take credit for the move. Ben Gvir, a long-time critic of Halevi’s perceived leniency toward Hamas, described these offers as part of Netanyahu’s attempts to retain him in the coalition.
Ben Gvir also stated that Netanyahu had extended the same promises reportedly made to Smotrich, including commitments for expanded settlement construction. “Ben Gvir wasn’t offered anything,” countered the Prime Minister’s Office in a statement. “It’s a total lie.” Defense Minister Israel Katz weighed in, declaring, “The chief of staff’s term is not tied and will not be tied to any political issue.”
The national security minister contrasted his decision to resign with the choice of others, such as Smotrich, who previously threatened to step down but ultimately stayed. “I’m a man of principle,” Ben Gvir said, labeling the agreement “terrible.” He argued that the deal would encourage future kidnappings and criticized the planned release of convicted Palestinian terrorists as part of the arrangement.
Smotrich, in a video statement released tonight, also denounced the deal as “terrible.” He asserted, “I will not sit in a government that, God forbid, will stop the war and not continue until complete victory over Hamas.” Despite this stance, his party chose to remain in the coalition after Netanyahu acceded to several of Smotrich’s demands.
As part of the agreement, Israel and Hamas will continue to negotiate a broader ceasefire during the initial phase. Smotrich has advocated for resuming military action immediately after this phase concludes. In his statement, he expressed relief that some hostages would be freed but emphasized the need to “return and fight until victory.”
“Unfortunately, we were unable to prevent this dangerous deal,” Smotrich said, “but we insisted and were able to ensure, through a government decision, in the cabinet, and other ways, that the war will not end, in any way, without achieving its full goals — foremost among them the complete destruction of Hamas in Gaza.”
“We demanded and received a commitment to completely change the method of war,” he continued, elaborating on measures such as “a gradual takeover of the entire Gaza Strip, the lifting of the restrictions imposed on us by the Biden administration, and full control of the Strip, so that humanitarian aid will not reach Hamas as it has until now. “There is no other way to achieve the goals of the war,” Smotrich concluded.
{Matzav.com Israel}