“The deal that will be presented to the government is both bad and dangerous for Israel’s national security," Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Wednesday evening.
"Alongside the immense joy and excitement over the return of each kidnapped individual, this agreement undermines many of the achievements of the war, during which the heroes of this nation risked their lives. It may, God forbid, cost us dearly in blood. We strongly oppose it.
"We will not remain silent. The cries of our brothers’ blood call out to us. Our continued presence in the government depends on absolute certainty of resuming the war with full force—on a broad scale and with a renewed strategy—until we achieve a decisive victory, including the complete destruction of Hamas and the safe return of all hostages to their homes."
Over the past two days, the prime minister and I have held intensive discussions on this issue. He is fully aware of Religious Zionism’s detailed demands, and the ball is now in his court," Smotrich concluded.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Smotrich met on Wednesday in order to discuss the impending hostage deal with Hamas.
Smotrich’s Religious Zionist Party will oppose the deal in any case, but he has yet to decide whether or not to take further steps, such as threatening to leave the government.
Smotrich is demanding to receive assurances that the IDF will continue operating in Gaza once the deal is completed, in order to achieve the war goals of toppling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities.
This includes a return to fighting at a higher intensity and the IDF taking control over the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza.
In the meanwhile, National Security Minister MK Itamar Ben-Gvir applied pressure on “political officials” in an attempt to “prevent an irresponsible deal,” a spokesperson for Ben-Gvir said.
Both Smotrich and Ben-Gvir oppose the bill on the grounds that the concessions Israel is likely to make are unacceptable.
During the first stage of the deal, these are expected to be the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including terrorists serving life sentences; a partial withdrawal of IDF forces within the Gaza Strip; enabling the return of Palestinian civilians to northern Gaza, albeit based on a security “mechanism” whose details are unknown; and more.
What the deal needs
In order for the deal to pass, it must pass votes in the National Security Cabinet and then in the government plenum. Even if RZP’s and Otzma Yehudit’s ministers vote against the deal, it will still have a majority in both the cabinet and government.
The question remains, however, whether or not the two far-right ministers leave the government, and if so, whether or not they vote to disperse the Knesset and bring about an election.