‘Let’s calm down’: Smotrich plays peacemaker between Netanyahu and Ben Gvir

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leads a meeting of his Religious Zionism party at the Knesset in Jerusalem, May 1, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leads a meeting of his Religious Zionism party at the Knesset in Jerusalem, May 1, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich tries to smooth over tensions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Public Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, saying that if the government falls it will be a prize for the terrorists.

“Friends and partners in the government and coalition, let’s calm down,” Smotrich says in a video posted to social media after Netanyahu tells Ben Gvir he is welcome to leave the government and Ben Givr challenges him to fire him.

“It is possible and necessary to hold internal talks and arguments and there is a lot to improve,” he says.

“But we have to keep the government unified and not give a prize to terror and bring back the left, with their terror supporters, to rule,” Smotrich says. “We have four years to fix and improve through hard work together.”

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