National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced on Thursday that if the hostages deal is approved, the Otzma Yehudit (“Jewish Power”) Party he leads would quit Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
He said his party would rejoin the government if the war was renewed.
Flanked by members of his party, Ben-Gvir said that the deal means “the end of the war before Hamas is beaten,” adding that he pleaded with the prime minister in a private meeting to jettison the prospective deal, which gives a “prize to terror.”
Calling it a “reckless deal,” the Otzma Yehudit leader said the agreement will set free hundreds of murderous terrorists, pull the IDF from the Egypt-Gaza border and return thousands of terrorists to the northern Gaza Strip.
“The deal will, in fact, erase the achievements of the war,” he said.
“Otzma Yehudit, under my leadership, will not overthrow Netanyahu, nor will it act together with the Left and its goals against the government, but it will not be able to be part of a government that will approve a deal that is a huge reward for Hamas, and that may bring upon us the next October 7 disaster,” he said.
Otzma Yehudit controls six seats in the Knesset.
If Ben-Gvir pulls his party from the coalition, it will not topple the government as opposition leaders Yair Lapid, chairman of the Yesh Atid Party, and Benny Gantz, leader of the National Unity Party, both of whom support the deal, have promised Netanyahu political support if he should need it.
Responding to Ben-Gvir, Lapid announced, “I say to Benjamin Netanyahu, don’t be frightened and don’t be in terror. You will get whatever safety net you need to make the hostages deal. This is more important than any disagreements we have ever had.”
