By The Jerusalem Post (World News) | Created at 2024-09-26 13:40:17 | Updated at 2024-09-30 07:25:20
3 days ago
The statement came at the conclusion of an "urgent" party meeting, which Ben-Gvir held after reports emerged that the prime minister was considering a 21-day ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.
By ELIAV BREUER SEPTEMBER 26, 2024 16:12 Updated: SEPTEMBER 26, 2024 16:14
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrives for a court hearing at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, on September 11, 2024
(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened on Thursday that his party, Otzma Yehudit, would cease cooperating with the coalition in the Knesset and government if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to a temporary ceasefire. Ben-Gvir added that should the temporary ceasefire become permanent, he will leave the government completely.
The statement came at the conclusion of an "urgent" party meeting on Thursday, which Ben-Gvir held after reports emerged that the prime minister was considering a 21-day ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.
"The most basic and obvious thing is that when your enemy is on his knees, you do not enable him to recuperate, but act to defeat and rout him. And if you do not do so, you project weakness, endanger the security of your citizens, and prove that you have no intention to be victorious," Ben-Gvir said in a statement.
He then said that if a temporary ceasefire is signed, Otzma Yehudit would "relieve itself of any commitment to the coalition," including voting in the Knesset, attending government and security cabinet meetings, and any other "coalition activity."
If the ceasefire becomes permanent, "all ministers and MKs from Otzma Yehudit will resign from the government and coalition," Ben-Gvir said.
The threat was a tactic that Ben-Gvir has used a number of times since the government's formation in late 2022. In nearly all cases the tactic has worked. The most recent use was in June, when he threatened to quit the government if Netanyahu agreed to a "reckless" hostage deal.
Sunday's plenum session
The threat came at an important parliamentary moment, as the Knesset plenum is scheduled to convene on Sunday for a day of voting to approve an amendment to the 2024 budget. The coalition currently enjoys a 64-56 majority, but without Ben-Gvir's six MKs, the coalition will have to work harder to ensure that the bill passes.
Sunday's plenum session was scheduled after the Knesset Finance Committee on Tuesday approved the amendment for its second and third readings. The amendment, which is the second of the 2024 budget after an initial amendment was approved in March, will expand 2024 government spending by approximately NIS 3.4 billion in order to continue to provide aid to evacuees and handle other impacts of the war. Finance ministry officials explained that the amendment was necessary since the war had extended beyond initial estimates, which were that the war would end in mid-2024.
Members of the opposition have argued that the amendment is unnecessary, and the necessary funds can be procured within the framework of the existing budget by shutting down government ministries and cutting coalition funding.
