Religious Zionism says will quit coalition if no return to war after deal’s 1st phase

Smotrich’s far-right party said to demand up-front guarantees from PM; MK Sukkot: ‘In all likelihood, we will resign from the government’

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"

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leads a Religious Zionism faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on December 9, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leads a Religious Zionism faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on December 9, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionism party reiterated its opposition to a ceasefire-hostage agreement in Gaza on Thursday afternoon, and insisted that its continued membership in the government hinges upon the war not ending without the complete military defeat of Hamas.

“The faction stands behind the demands of the party chairman, Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to ensure Israel’s return to the war to destroy Hamas and the return of all the hostages, including a change in the concept of decisive victory, immediately upon the conclusion of the first phase of the deal,” the party declared in a statement, adding that this was the “condition for the party to remain in the government and coalition.”

According to multiple Hebrew-language media reports, Smotrich demanded up-front guarantees from Netanyahu before the deal was signed. However, if the prime minister were to make such assurances, it would throw a wrench into negotiations and could scupper the agreement entirely.

The party’s statement followed what media reports indicated was an inconclusive faction meeting convened to discuss whether or not to quit the coalition.

Speaking to national broadcaster Kan ahead of the meeting, Religious Zionism MK Zvi Sukkot said that “in all likelihood, we will resign from the government,” adding that his party was “here to change the DNA of the State of Israel,” not just to fill seats in the coalition.

According to media reports, MK Simcha Rothman and Settlements and National Projects Minister Orit Strock support withdrawing from the coalition. Rothman and Sukkot did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Thursday.

MK Zvi Sukkot at the Knesset in Jerusalem on March 12, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Thursday’s ultimatum came a day after Smotrich denounced the agreement as a “bad and dangerous deal for the national security of the State of Israel” and conditioned his party’s continued membership in the coalition on Israel restarting its campaign against Hamas until “complete victory.”

“The prime minister and I have been conducting hectic talks on the matter. He knows what the detailed demands of Religious Zionism are, and the ball is in his hands,” Smotrich said Wednesday.

Yehuda Wald, the party’s director-general, also criticized the deal, lashing out at Housing Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf, the chairman of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, over his support for the ceasefire.

“When we have to go back and fight in Gaza to destroy Hamas, we will be there, not him. When we have to fight on the streets of Nablus and Jenin against released terrorists who will carry out attacks, we will be there, not him,” he declared, in reference to the very low number of Haredi soldiers, as a national debate rages on ultra-Orthodox military service.

Netanyahu has reportedly been pressuring Smotrich to resist a call from fellow far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to quit the government over approval of the deal.

Religious Zionism MK Moshe Solomon prepares to give brief remarks at an anti-hostage deal protest outside the Knesset in Jerusalem on January 16, 2025. (Charlie Summers/Times of Israel)

On Monday, Ben Gvir claimed he had repeatedly foiled a hostage-ceasefire deal with Hamas during the past year while calling on Smotrich to again join him in thwarting the emerging agreement.

The government will have a majority to approve the ceasefire deal even if Smotrich and Ben Gvir do not support it in the cabinet, but Netanyahu is seeking the broadest possible support for the agreement. If both far-right parties bolt Netanyahu’s coalition, it would lose its Knesset majority.

Those in Netanyahu’s orbit believe Ben Gvir will not leave the government without Smotrich, and that is the reason why pressure is being exerted on the latter, according to Channel 13.

Kan radio reported that Netanyahu has offered Smotrich and Ben Gvir “gains for the right” in return for them remaining in the government, particularly in the realm of increased settlement construction in the West Bank.

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