From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Report: Netanyahu recently met with Smotrich twice to try and persuade him to support hostage deal
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich twice in recent days in an attempt to convince him to support the proposed hostage release-ceasefire deal, Walla News alleges.
According to the report, the two first discussed the issue on Saturday night in Jerusalem and then a second time on Sunday, during a larger meeting on the 2025 state budget.
Citing unnamed sources, Walla states that the two discussed the reasons for Smotrich’s opposition to a deal, and whether or not there were certain conditions under which the far-right minister could back such a deal.
Both Smotrich and his ultranationalist ally National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir have threatened to resign from the government if Israel follows through with a deal that will halt fighting in Gaza and bring about the release of hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners.
Walla adds that neither the Prime Minister’s Office nor the Finance Ministry responded to a request for comment.
