Netanyahu faces political crisis as Smotrich weighs coalition exit

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is also threatening to pull his Otzma Yehudit Party from Netanyahu’s coalition over the deal and has called for Smotrich to join him.

By Joshua Marks, JNS

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism Party signaled on Thursday it would likely exit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition over the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

The party convened Thursday morning to deliberate on its role in the governing coalition ahead of a likely cabinet vote on the agreement, according to Hebrew media reports, although the Prime Minister’s Office announced in the morning that the vote had been postponed due to Hamas reneging on parts of the deal.

“The Israeli Cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement,” according to the PMO.

A party official called the crisis “serious and real,” according to Channel 12 News.

Knesset member Zvi Sukkot earlier told Israel’s Reshet Bet radio that Religious Zionism was likely to leave the government. He emphasized that the party aims to “transform the DNA of the State of Israel” rather than simply hold positions in the coalition.

Smotrich has openly opposed the agreement, which was announced on Wednesday, as a “surrender deal” and a “catastrophe” for the Jewish state.

He has reportedly set conditions to stay in the government should the agreement be approved, including a government commitment to the dismantling of Hamas and renewing the fighting in Gaza following the ceasefire.

He participated in closed-door meetings with Netanyahu on Tuesday and Wednesday.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is also threatening to pull his Otzma Yehudit Party from Netanyahu’s coalition over the deal and has called for Smotrich to join him.

Meanwhile, Israeli leaders from both sides of the political aisle came out in favor of the hostage deal announced on Wednesday.

Yair Lapid, leader of the opposition and chairman of the Yesh Atid Party, said:

“An entire country isn’t breathing tonight. We are all waiting, and we are all praying. But we cannot stop now, and the deal cannot end in its first part. I promise as I promised in the past a [political] safety net [for Netanyahu] until the last moment, until the last hostage. Everyone must return home.”

Benny Gantz, chairman of the National Unity Party, stated that “securing the release of the hostages from the arms of the murderous terror organization Hamas is a top moral and strategic imperative. It is simply the only way forward.”

He extended thanks to the negotiators in Israel, Egypt and Qatar; to outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden; and to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

“As President Trump said, we must now ensure Gaza never again rebuilds as a terrorist haven and continues to threaten the State of Israel,” said Gantz.