April 24, 2025 | 04:31 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israeli Finance Minister from the far-right, Bezalel Smotrich, has threatened to topple Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Anadolu reported the threat on Wednesday if the Israeli military does not occupy Gaza and govern it militarily.
In a statement, Smotrich said that the Israeli prime minister "is ultimately responsible" for dealing with Israel's war in Gaza.
“Launch a campaign to defeat Hamas, occupy Gaza, and implement a temporary military government until another solution is found, return the hostages and launch the Trump plan – or this government has no right to exist,” he said.
The far-right extremist minister also defended his position supporting the ban on aid entering Gaza.
According to Israeli media, Smotrich clashed with military chief Eyal Zamir over his refusal to make the military responsible for aid distribution in Gaza.
"If you are not capable, we will bring in someone who is capable, if you don't know how to do it, we will find someone who does," he said to Zamil in a meeting of the Israeli Security Cabinet on Tuesday night.
Since March 2, Israel has closed the Gaza crossing, blocking essential supplies from entering the besieged area despite numerous reports of starvation in the war-torn region.
The Israeli army resumed its attacks on Gaza on March 18, violating the ceasefire and the prisoner exchange agreement on January 19.
Israel has killed over 51,300 Palestinian residents in the enclave since October 2023, the majority of whom were women and children.
Last November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its war in the enclave.
Smotrich is an extremist far-right politician in Israel and the leader of the Religious Zionism party. He has played a significant role in the Israeli government, including as Finance Minister.
Known for his strong ultranationalist religious stance, Smotrich supports the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
He is also a vocal supporter of traditional policies regarding Israel's identity, religion, and economy.
Smotrich has been a key figure in Israeli politics, often aligning with other far-right extremist groups such as Otzma Yehudit. He is also known for his controversial positions on issues such as the Israel-Palestine conflict and LGBTQ+ rights.
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