Israel’s Far-Right Security Minister Has Quit To Protest The Ceasefire In Gaza
Itamar Ben-Gvir's resignation did not bring down prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition government but weakened it.
Israel's far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has resigned from the government to protest the ceasefire deal in Gaza.
Two other ministers from his Jewish Party also resigned after the ceasefire went into effect on Sunday, Jan. 19.
Ben-Gvir, who is a hardline ultranationalist settler who has been the security minister since 2022, had threatened on Thursday Jan. 16 to quit if Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government approved the deal for the ceasefire.
Throughout his tenure, Ben-Gvir was known for relaxing restirctions for Jewish citizens to own guns and backing Netanyahu's controversial attempt to weaken the supreme court.
He has advocated for Israel to fully occupy and control the Gaza Strip after the war and encouraging Palestinians to voluntarily emigrate so Israel can establish Jewish settlements in the region.
He called the ceasefire deal "reckless" and said that the deal "increases Hamas' appetite and motivation, letting them attack, explode and kidnap and get what they want."
Ben-Gvir had also called on far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich to resign with him.
However, Smotrich did not resign, saying that his Religious Zionism party had "received a commitment" that the genocide would continue and there would be a "gradual takeover of the entire Gaza Strip."
As a result, Ben-Gvir and the Jewish Party members' resignation did not bring down Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition government.
However, if other far-right lawmakers were to also resign, Netanyahu would lose his parliamentary majority, which could lead to early elections.
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