From the Liveblog of
Monday, April 21, 2025
Smotrich slammed for willingness to ‘sacrifice’ hostages
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Politicians, mostly from the opposition, slam Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for declaring that “returning the hostages is not the most important thing.”
“Smotrich raises the hostages as human sacrifices on the altar of messianic delusions,” declares The Democrats chief Yair Golan, calling Smotrich “the true face of the Netanyahu government — a government in which neglect and the sacrifice of lives is not a failure, but a policy.”
Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman says that until October 7, Smotrich “claimed that Hamas was an asset,” adding: “One who was wrong then, it’s better to keep quiet now.”
“The return of all hostages is not a matter of debate – it is a moral and national obligation,” Liberman posts on X.
Yesh Atid lawmaker Yorai Lahav Hertzanu declares that he and Smotrich “are not part of the same nation.”
Smotrich’s statement is also condemned by MK Moshe Gafni of the coalition’s United Torah Judaism party, who calls the return of the hostages “the most important issue.”
The Times of Israel Community.