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Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (left) and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir (right).
CNN
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Two far-right Israeli ministers have warned that they will resign and destroy Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government if he accepts a peace plan presented by US President Joe Biden.
Biden on Friday unveiled a three-phase proposal from Israel to end the Gaza conflict, combining hostage release with a “full and complete ceasefire.”
Speaking at the White House, Biden said Hamas had been weakened to the point that it could no longer carry out attacks like the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the current war in Gaza.
“The time has come to end this war,” he said, a clear indication that, for him, Israel's war aims have been achieved.
But two of the Israeli government's most prominent far-right members, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, have made clear they reject an immediate cease-fire, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also signaled he is not ready, casting doubt on Biden's proposal.
In a statement on social media, Smotrich said he had “made it clear” to Netanyahu that he would “not be part of a government that agrees to the proposed outline and ends the war without destroying Hamas and returning all the hostages.”
Smotrich called for the fighting to continue until “Hamas is destroyed and all hostages are returned” and until “we create an entirely different security reality in Gaza and Lebanon.”
Meanwhile, National Security Minister Ben Gvir called the agreement “reckless,” a “triumph for terror” and a security threat to Israel.
“If the prime minister implements the reckless agreement under the conditions announced today, which would mean an end to the war and a abandonment of the removal of Hamas, Otzma Yehudit will dissolve the government,” he said, referring to the far-right party he leads and which supports Netanyahu's majority in parliament.
In his speech, Biden addressed tensions within the Israeli government and made a direct appeal to ordinary Israelis to show their support.
“I know that there are people in Israel, some of whom are in the government coalition, who do not agree with this plan and want the war to continue indefinitely,” he said.
The proposal calls for the release of hostages, an Israeli withdrawal from “all Gaza settlements” and, ultimately, a plan to rebuild the battle-ravaged Gaza Strip.
The plan has been widely welcomed, with the United Nations and other international powers urging Israel and Hamas to accept it. Hamas said it viewed the plan “positively” and was ready to “respond positively and constructively to any proposals based on a permanent ceasefire.”
But less than an hour after Biden detailed his proposal, Netanyahu stressed that the war in Gaza would not end until all Israel's objectives have been achieved, including the destruction of Hamas.
It was unclear to what extent Netanyahu would agree to the plan, but the statement also said the “precise outline” of Israel's proposal would allow Israel to “uphold these principles.”
Netanyahu is facing pressure from within his own coalition government and beyond, with protesters again taking to the streets on Saturday to demand his resignation and early elections.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said he supported Netanyahu's acceptance of the proposal and condemned Smotrich and Ben Gvir's comments.
“The threats made by Mr Ben Gvir and Mr Smotrich show a disregard for national security, hostage taking and the people of the north and south,” he said.
“This is the worst and most reckless government in the history of this country. For them, there will be war here forever. Zero accountability, zero control, total failure.”
As the Gaza conflict approaches its ninth month, Netanyahu's government is facing growing international calls for an end to the war.
The war was triggered by Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians on October 7, leaving some 1,200 dead and more than 200 taken hostage. Israel's military operations in Gaza since then have left more than 36,000 dead.
