Bezalel Smotrich is a far-right Israeli lawmaker and leader of the Religious Zionist Party, who currently serves as the country's finance minister as well as a minister in the Defense Ministry. In the past, Smotrich also served as transportation minister.
Smotrich is a highly divisive figure in Israeli politics, having been accused of racism, extremism, and homophobia. Smotrich has also gone on record saying that he is a "proud homophobe," staunch support for Israel's West Bank settlements, and rejects both the future existence of a Palestinian state as well as the existence of the Palestinian people.
National Security Cabinet will meet to set a mandate for the negotiating team over phase two of the deal.
Speaking with 103FM, Elhanan Danino, the father of Ori Danino, strongly criticized the government.
IDF increases reservists, special forces near Gaza, but mostly holding fire • Family of Gaza hostage Eitan Mor receives sign of life
He added that everyone must be returned, especially given that it is impossible to guarantee that those alive today will still be alive tomorrow.
“There is currently a debate about whether the war can be stopped. The war cannot be stopped just before the complete destruction of Hamas," Smotrich said.
Netanyahu canceled his testimony to the trial against him in order to give the speech, which was reportedly unplanned.
“Our commitment to them is infinite,” he stated. “We will still have time to defeat Hamas; we are destined to live by the sword, and the war will last for years.”
"The suffering of our hostages in Hamas' brutal captivity is heartbreaking," he said. "But comparisons to the Holocaust are a grave mistake."
It isn't worth analyzing the plausibility of US President Donald Trump's bombastic statements, but what is clear is the message being sent to Israel's far Right.
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