After two party heads initially threatened to leave the Israeli government coalition if the hostage deal with Hamas goes through, it appears that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu managed to split them apart and, for the moment, ensure the stability of his government.
The more aggressive of the two, National Security Minister and Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party head Itamar Ben Gvir, declared on Thursday that if the hostage deal would be approved, “we will hand in letters of resignation and will not be part of the government.”
Ben Gvir reiterated that the deal was “reckless,” leading to the release of “hundreds of murderous terrorists, the return of thousands of terrorists to the north of the Gaza Strip, a withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor” and “will in fact erase the achievements of the war.” “When you see the jubilation of the Hamas supporter [Hadash party head] Ayman Odeh, the dancing in Gaza, the celebrations in the villages in Judea and Samaria – you understand which side surrendered in this deal,” Ben Gvir said. (Read More)
