Far-right minister in Israel threatens to topple government: Is the future of the ceasefire in danger?

Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has opposed the ceasefire agreement reached with Hamas. Threatening to topple the government over the hostage exchange deal, the Finance Minister argued that the terms of the agreement were against Israel's interests.

The far-right minister, who leads the Religious Zionism Party, posted about the ceasefire agreement on his X social media account.

Smotrich stated, 'The agreement that will be presented to the government is a bad and dangerous agreement for the national security of the State of Israel.'

Noting that while the agreement would cause great joy in terms of ensuring the return of hostages, it would also lead to major losses for Israel, Smotrich assessed, 'We oppose this with all our might.'

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich

EMPHASIS ON 'RELIGIOUS ZIONISM'

Smotrich emphasized that the complete destruction of Hamas and the return of all hostages were the explicit conditions for them to remain in the government.

Reporting that they have been holding intensive talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for 2 days, the far-right minister stated, 'He knows what the detailed demands of religious Zionism are, and the ball is in his (Netanyahu's) court.'

Smotrich had previously stated that they would not be part of a ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement, which he described as 'a disaster for Israel's national security.'

Smotrich and Netanyahu had not experienced disagreements since the beginning of the war in Gaza

BEN-GVIR HAD PROPOSED AN ALLIANCE TO THE FAR-RIGHT LAWMAKER

The other far-right figure in the coalition, Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) Party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir, had invited Smotrich to cooperate to block the ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement in Gaza.

If Smotrich's Religious Zionism Party, which holds 7 seats in the Israeli Parliament, and Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power Party, which holds 6 seats, cooperate, they could reach the majority needed to bring down the government.

According to the Israeli political system, the government must have at least 61 members of parliament, and the current government holds 68 of the 120 seats in the Parliament.

Jewish Power Party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir

News Source: AA