Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionism Party) on Wednesday accused opposition leaders of having become obsessed with opposing “the state rather than the government,” responding to their criticism of the ceasefire with Iran.
The opposition led by Yesh Atid Party head Yair Lapid is “preoccupied with a desperate attempt to outdo one another for the title of ‘who weakens Israel more,’ making statements detached from reality that demonstrate how much they have lost their way and that they are unfit to lead,” according to Smotrich.
Lapid in an address on Wednesday night accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being responsible for “a diplomatic disaster on a scale I do not recall ever seeing,” claiming that Jerusalem “had no influence whatsoever over the agreement signed overnight between the United States and Iran through Pakistani mediation.”
“Netanyahu turned us into a client state that receives instructions over the phone on matters touching the very core of our national security. At a critical moment for our security, he was pushed away from the table,” according to Lapid.
“Of all the possible outcomes, Netanyahu delivered the worst one: the regime in Iran was not defeated, the nuclear threat was not removed and the ballistic missiles and Hezbollah’s missiles remain aimed at every home in Israel,” claimed the opposition leader.
However, Smotrich in his X post emphasized that “in close cooperation with the world’s greatest superpower, the United States under the leadership of President [Donald] Trump,” the Israel Defense Forces “delivered a powerful blow, the likes of which have not been seen before.”
“The war is not yet over and its full objectives have not yet been achieved, but Israel today is immeasurably stronger than it was before the war, and its enemies are immeasurably weaker—and, with God’s help, will continue to be struck and weakened until their defeat,” the finance minister tweeted.
“We will continue to act, with God’s help, with strength, striking our enemies and establishing a new security reality that will shape the face of the Middle East for many years to come,” he vowed.
Aryeh Deri, chairman of the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, on Wednesday night also slammed the opposition’s statements, accusing it of trying to harm the state to promote political goals.
“It is unfortunate to see former prime ministers, defense ministers and chiefs of staff working against the state to achieve short-term political gain,” Deri stated.
Deri stressed that the campaign against Iran yielded “immense achievements alongside our American allies,” adding that “anyone acting to create a false impression of defeat proves that politics matters more to them than patriotism.”
Netanyahu said on Wednesday night that the ceasefire agreed to by the United States and Iran the previous day was coordinated with Jerusalem, describing it as a “way station” and warning that “Operation Roaring Lion” could resume “at any necessary moment.”
The prime minister denied reports that Washington blindsided the Jewish state with the truce, saying the announcement was made “in full coordination with Israel.”
Netanyahu emphasized that the Islamic Republic was entering negotiations with the United States “battered and weaker than ever” after it waived all of its preconditions for the talks, including the cancellation of sanctions, receiving war reparations, a final end to hostilities and a parallel ceasefire with its Hezbollah terrorist proxy in Lebanon.
