Smotrich says ceasefire deal a ‘defeat for Israel’

Views:

Bezalel Smotrich threatened to overthrow Israel’s coalition government over the ceasefire deal [Getty]

Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Sunday slammed the ongoing ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza as a “very serious mistake” and a “surrender to Hamas”.

The minister threatened to leave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government if Gaza is not occupied by Israel.

Speaking to Army Radio, Smotrich said Israel “must occupy Gaza and create a temporary military government because there is no other way to defeat Hamas”.

“I will overthrow the government if it does not return to fighting in a way that [leads to us] taking over the entire Gaza and governing it,” he continued.

The minister’s threat followed far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s withdrawal from government over the ceasefire.

In comments to Maariv, Smotrich described the truce as a “strategic achievement for the enemy (Hamas) and a terrible and huge defeat for us”.

“I don’t know who the next [Yahya] Sinwar will be among those released, and I think the most dangerous thing about this deal is perhaps the message it sends that whoever wants to bring Israel to its knees should just kidnap its citizens,” the minister said, referring to the Palestinian detainees — many held without charge — who will be released by Israel as part of the ceasefire deal.

Smotrich, along with Ben-Gvir, has openly called for the resettlement of Gaza by Israelis, as well as the annexation of the occupied West Bank.

Despite protests from cabinet members, Israel approved the ceasefire deal on Saturday, and forced a short delay of the truce’s implementation on Sunday morning.

As part of the deal, a total of 33 Israeli captives taken by militants during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel will be returned from Gaza during an initial 42-day truce.

Israel will in turn release hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

La source de cet article se trouve sur ce site

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

SHARE:

spot_imgspot_img