Ben Gvir Calling on Smotrich to Pressure Netanyahu Together over Disastrous Hostage Deal

Photo Credit: Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90

MKs Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich in the plenum, December 28, 2022.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Tuesday morning urged Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to unite their factions in opposition to a potential “surrender deal” as he put it, with the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip. The agreement, reportedly being negotiated in Doha, Qatar, is said to involve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of numerous imprisoned terrorists.

The chairman of Otzma Yehudit has not directly threatened to leave the government, even should Smotrich heed his call. However, he is effectively holding his election partner accountable for not opposing the deal publicly. While a potential withdrawal from the government could complicate Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ability to advance legislation and other initiatives, it would also shift Otzma Yehudit to the opposition. Despite this, Ben Gvir has stressed that “even if we are in the opposition, we will not bring down Netanyahu.”

Ben Gvir took to Twitter to express strong opposition to the emerging deal with Hamas, describing it as “terrible” and outlining its perceived flaws:

“The deal being formed is terrible. I know its details well: it includes the release of hundreds of murderous terrorists from prisons, the return of Gazans, including thousands of terrorists, to the northern Gaza Strip, the withdrawal of the IDF from the Netzarim corridor, and the restoration of threats to residents of the surrounding areas. This effectively erases the hard-won achievements of our fighters in Gaza, paid for with much blood.

“Furthermore, the deal fails to secure the release of all the hostages and seals the fate of those not included in the deal, condemning them to death.

“This is not a ‘hard choice’ to bring back the hostages. It is a conscious decision that endangers the lives of countless other Israeli citizens, who will tragically pay the price for this concession. History has already shown us the devastating consequences of such deals. We’ve learned the hard way that promises of ‘sorting things out later’ hold no weight.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, for his part, expressed strong opposition to the emerging deal, calling it “a catastrophe for the national security of the State of Israel.” Smotrich tweeted: “We will not be part of a surrender deal that would include the release of arch-terrorists, the cessation of war, and the liquidation of its achievements that were bought with much blood, and the abandonment of many hostages.”

He continued, “This is the time to continue with all our might, to occupy and cleanse the entire Strip, to finally take control of humanitarian aid from Hamas, and to open the gates of hell on Gaza until Hamas surrenders completely and all hostages are returned.”

However, the leader of the seven-mandate Religious Zionism faction has not threatened to pull his MKs out of the coalition over the hostage deal, bad as it may be.

Ben Gvir’s remarks come after several days of silence regarding the ongoing deal being negotiated with the terrorist organization in Gaza. The deal, which remains uncertain in terms of the hostages’ return, does not guarantee the release of all the hostages, particularly those who are not included in the agreement and are expected to remain in harsh captivity, at least in its initial phase, based on current information.

Additionally, Ben Gvir’s call to the Religious Zionist faction follows agreements reached earlier this week between the Ministry of National Security and Smotrich’s Ministry of Finance. As a result, Otzma Yehudit is set to vote with the coalition next week, and in return, the coalition will once again introduce legislation proposed by Otzma Yehudit.