Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has defended his decision to remain in the government despite his opposition to the recent hostage deal with Hamas. In a lengthy Facebook post, Smotrich explained that quitting the government would have led to an end of the war and further departures from the government, ultimately resulting in an election.
Smotrich stated that the deal was “unavoidable” and that ultimatums from coalition parties would not have stopped it. He also claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a “security net” of left-wing parties to push the deal through, but warned that this would have led to an election with unpredictable outcomes.
Smotrich argued that shooting down the deal out of political considerations would have led to mass protests and a social crisis, while making Netanyahu look weak in front of US President Donald Trump. He also claimed that the easy decision would have been to join National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s exit from the government, but deemed it “national irresponsibility.”
Smotrich asserted that his decision to remain in the government was necessary to ensure the continuation of the war and the downfall of Hamas. He proposed a new strategy for Israel, including complete control of territory, methodological cleansing of Hamas terror cells, and temporary military rule over Gaza.
The finance minister also argued that US President Trump would support Israel’s interests during his presidency, lifting an arms embargo and supplying necessary military equipment. Smotrich claimed that this would enable the destruction of Iran and strengthen Israel’s position in the Middle East.
Overall, Smotrich defended his decision to remain in the government despite criticism from some quarters, arguing that it was necessary for national security and strategic interests.
Source: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-838223