From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Shas urges Netanyahu to move forward with hostage deal, ignore far-right threats
The ultra-Orthodox Shas party urges Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ignore threats from his far-right coalition partners and to push ahead with a hostage-ceasefire deal with Hamas.
“Shas backs your efforts to return the hostages. We are convinced that the conditions that have been created due to the military pressure and the targeted assassinations create an appropriate moment to reach a deal that safeguards the vital security interests of Israel and brings the hostages home,” Shas says in a letter to Netanyahu that was released to the media.
Shas, which is part of the coalition, calls on Netanyahu “not to fear the voices in the coalition opposing the deal.”
Shas says it backs Netanyahu to “continue to act with responsibility in fulfilling the commandment to redeem captives, a commandment of the highest order.”
