Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Thursday that his party would resign and collapse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hold on power if the current cease-fire and hostage deal goes through.
Gvir, a member of the far right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, slammed the peace deal as unacceptable as he called on other members of Israel’s government to join his protest.
“This deal teaches them (Hamas) that they can take hostages and attack, and at the end of the day, they can get what they want,” Gvir said at a news conference, according to a CNN translation.
Gvir has previously boasted about derailing previous cease-fire deals, demanding the Jewish state stick to negotiating the release of every hostage at once and continuing the war effort afterwards.
Gvir, who has also called for Israel to annex sections of the Gaza Strip, called on fellow right-wing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the head of the Religious Zionism Party who has expressed his own disdain in the deal, to join him in threatening his resignation.
Netanyahu needs the support of both parties to keep his coalition from collapsing and costing him his position as prime minister.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
