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June 1 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The leaders of the Jewish Power parties, Itamar Ben Gvir, and the Religious Zionist Party, Bezalel Smotrich, have warned that they will withdraw from the Israeli government coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu if he accepts the ceasefire plan proposed by the American president. Joe Biden.
Ben Gvir, Minister of National Security, has assured that he will “dismantle the government” if he agrees to the proposal. “The agreement, according to the details published today, would mean ending the war and giving up destroying Hamas,” he noted.
“It is a reckless agreement that would mean a victory for terrorism and a risk for the security of the State of Israel” which would not be a “total victory” like the one Netayahu promised, but a “total defeat.”
“If the prime minister implements this agreement under the circumstances published today, it would be the end of the war and giving up on destroying Hama and Jewish Power would dismantle the government,” he stressed.
Smotrich, Minister of Finance, has also threatened to leave the Government. Smotrich has indicated that he has already spoken with Netanyahu and has conveyed his position to him. “I have made it clear to him that I will not be part of a government that agrees to the proposal and ends the war without destroying Hamas and achieving the return of all the hostages,” he stressed.
“We will not agree to end the war before Hamas is destroyed or seriously damage the war gains made so far with a withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces and the return of Gazans to northern Gaza, to the liberation of terrorists who, God forbid, will murder Jews again,” he stressed.
His party thus calls for “the offensive to continue” until Hamas is destroyed and the hostages return, “the creation of a totally different security in Gaza and Lebanon, the return of all the inhabitants of the north and south to their homes and a great investment in the accelerated development of these regions of the country”.
Religious Zionism and Jewish Power won 14 seats in a coalition candidacy in the 2022 elections and are key for Netanyahu to maintain the parliamentary majority.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Yair Lapid has reiterated his commitment to supporting Netanyahu if he agrees to the US proposal. In fact, he has denounced the “threats” of Ben Gvir and Smotrich against the “national security” of Israel, the hostages and the inhabitants of the north and south of the country. “This is the worst and most senseless government in the history of the country. Because of them there would be war forever,” he stated.
The plan announced yesterday by Biden – whose preparation the president attributed to Israel – consists of three phases. The first of which consists of a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza, the partial release of hostages, the return of Palestinian civilians to their homes, and an increase in humanitarian aid.
The second phase consists of a permanent end to hostilities, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for surviving hostages, and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The third and final stage would consist of the beginning of the reconstruction of Gaza and the delivery of the mortal remains of the deceased hostages.
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