Israel's National Security Minister has issued a stark warning to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, urging the immediate resumption of the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) operations in Gaza. This demand aligns with Netanyahu's initial commitment to disband the terror infrastructure of Hamas in Gaza.
In response to Hamas's invasion and subsequent slaughter of innocent civilians on October 7, Netanyahu assured the nation of a strategic IDF campaign in Gaza. Significant progress has been made in Northern Gaza, with the discovery and dismantling of terror tunnels, arms depots in mosques and schools, and rocket launch sites cunningly placed in civilian areas. Yet, the southern region requires further IDF intervention to meet the government's stated objectives. The extension of the ceasefire has sparked concerns among Israelis about achieving these goals.
Ben Gvir party announced this evening that if another deal is presented to the government that would lead to an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, all six Knesset members from the party led by Minister Ben Gvir will leave the government coalition.
— Sprinter Monitor (@SpriterMonitor1) November 28, 2023
The ceasefire, in place since November 24, facilitated an exchange of hostages and criminals, along with limited humanitarian aid into Gaza. Notably, Otzma Yehudit, led by Ben-Gvir, opposed the truce brokered by Qatar, the US, and Egypt, expressing skepticism about the resumption of operations post-ceasefire.
The potential withdrawal of Otzma Yehudit from the coalition raises questions about the government's stability, despite new alliances, such as Benny Gantz's National Camp. The party, with Ben-Gvir and two other ministers in Netanyahu’s cabinet, has been vocal on security matters. Ben-Gvir, known for his strong stance against Hamas supporters, advocates for enhanced security measures for Jewish citizens.
Reports in Israel are also saying that people ideologically opposed to Ben Gvir, even some who have protested the Netanyahu government because of its inclusion of people like Ben Gvir are now backing his stance. Left-leaning Israelis are alarmed at the talk of a permanent ceasefire, which they believe will result in another attack by Hamas in the future. On October 6 Israel was a politically divided nation, and after Hamas's attacks the country appears to have unified around the common goal of eradicating Hamas from the region.
Israel’s Army Radio reports that left-wing Israelis are so alarmed at media talk about a permanent ceasefire that they are saying they are glad far-right leaders Smotrich and Ben Gvir are in the government to prevent such a calamitous outcome for Israeli sovereignty and security.
— Joel Pollak (@joelpollak) November 29, 2023
Ben-Gvir himself frequently made inflammatory remarks about Palestinians who support Hamas and had called for further arming of Jews in Israel to protect themselves from a rising tide of terror in Judea and Samaria as well as in central Israeli cities.
Israel's resolve to neutralize Hamas was reinforced following the group's October 7 pogrom, which tragically resulted in over 1,200 deaths. Hamas justified its actions as a response to Israel's presence in Gaza, despite Israel's withdrawal in 2005 and Hamas’s subsequent takeover.
International scrutiny of Israel's military actions in Gaza has been intense, with some allegations of war crimes. However, these claims often lack legal basis under the Geneva Convention, which Israel adheres to. Efforts to depict Israel's defensive actions as human rights violations are seen as attempts to undermine its legitimate defense against terrorism.
