Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionism party reiterated Thursday afternoon its opposition to a ceasefire deal over hostage-taking in Gaza, and insisted that its continued The government depended on ending the war without the complete military defeat of Hamas.
“The faction supports the demands of party chairman Minister Bezalel Smotrich to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure Israel’s return to war to destroy Hamas and the return of all hostages, including a change in the concept of decisive victory”, immediately after the conclusion of the first phase of the agreement”, the party said in a statement, adding that this was the “condition for the party to remain in the government and the coalition”.
According to several Hebrew-language media outlets, Smotrich demanded immediate guarantees from Netanyahu before signing the agreement. However, if the Prime Minister gave such assurances, it would put a damper on negotiations and could collapse the deal altogether.
The party’s statement followed what media reports said was an inconclusive faction meeting called to discuss whether or not to leave the coalition.
Speaking to national broadcaster Kan before the meeting, Religious Zionist MK Zvi Sukkot said that “in all likelihood we will resign from the government,” adding that his party was “here to change the DNA of the state of Israel,” and not just to fill seats in the coalition.
According to media reports, MP Simcha Rothman and Minister of Colonies and National Projects Orit Strock support the withdrawal from the coalition. Rothman and Sukkot did not respond to multiple requests for comment Thursday.
MK Zvi Sukkot at the Knesset in Jerusalem, March 12, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Thursday’s ultimatum came a day after Smotrich denounced the deal as “an evil and dangerous deal for the national security of the State of Israel” and conditioned his party’s stay in the coalition on Israel resumed its campaign against Hamas until “complete victory”.
“The Prime Minister and I have had intense discussions on the issue. He knows the detailed requirements of religious Zionism, and the ball is in his hands,” Smotrich said Wednesday.
Yehuda Wald, the party’s chief executive, also criticized the deal, attacking Housing Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf, chairman of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, for his support of the ceasefire.
“When we have to return to fight in Gaza to destroy Hamas, we will be there, not him. When we have to fight in the streets of Nablus and Jenin against released terrorists who carry out attacks, we will be there, not him,” he said, referring to the very low number of Haredi soldiers, as the debate national rage. ultra-Orthodox military service.
Netanyahu reportedly pressured Smotrich to resist his fellow far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s call to leave the government following approval of the deal.
Religious Zionist MK Moshe Solomon prepares to deliver a brief speech during a protest against the hostage deal outside the Knesset in Jerusalem, January 16, 2025. (Charlie Summers/Times of Israel)
On Monday, Ben Gvir claimed he had repeatedly foiled a ceasefire deal with Hamas over the past year, while calling on Smotrich to join him in thwarting the nascent deal.
The government will have a majority to approve the ceasefire deal even if Smotrich and Ben Gvir do not support it in the government, but Netanyahu is seeking the broadest possible support for the deal. If the two far-right parties joined forces with Netanyahu’s coalition, it would lose its majority in the Knesset.
Those in Netanyahu’s orbit believe that Ben Gvir will not leave the government without Smotrich, and that is why pressure is being put on the latter, according to Channel 13.
Kan Radio reported that Netanyahu offered Smotrich and Ben Gvir “gains for the right” in exchange for remaining in government, particularly in the area of increased settlement construction in the West Bank.
