“Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Smotrich says “lost faith” in Netanyahu after “half-measure” Gaza City plan
“Israeli” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has publicly stated he has “lost faith that the prime minister [Netanyahu] can and wants to lead the IDF to a decisive victory,” marking a major public rift within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
The statement came as Smotrich condemned a security cabinet-approved plan to take over Gaza City as a “half-measure”.
In a video message, Smotrich accused Netanyahu of "succumbing to weakness" and choosing a limited military maneuver to pressure Hamas into a partial ceasefire deal, rather than pursuing a "complete victory".
He called for an immediate cabinet meeting to declare an end to "partial deals" and "pauses in the war," insisting on a strategy that would include the "annexation of large parts of the Gaza Strip and opening its gates to voluntary migration" for Palestinians.
The far-right leader's declaration is a pointed warning rather than an explicit threat to quit the coalition, which would trigger its collapse.
Smotrich's Religious Zionism party and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party hold a combined 20 seats, giving them the power to topple Netanyahu's government, which has a slim 67-seat majority.
A previous New York Times report revealed that in April 2024, Netanyahu shelved a truce proposal after Smotrich threatened to bring down the government, which demonstrates the influence the hardline ministers hold.
The dispute highlights a deep schism between Netanyahu's political coalition and “Israel's” security establishment. National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, the military’s Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and Mossad Chief David Barnea reportedly opposed the Gaza City takeover plan.
They argued the operation would endanger the remaining captive and risk "dragging Israel into a black hole" of years-long guerrilla warfare.
The security chiefs prioritize a ceasefire to save the remaining captives, of whom only about 20 of the original 50 are believed to be alive.
