Israel’s Far-Right Minister Resigns Over Gaza Ceasefire Deal
Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has resigned from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet in protest over the Gaza ceasefire deal. Ben-Gvir, a 48-year-old ultra-nationalist settler leader, claimed the deal would “destroy all of Israel’s achievements” and threatened to destabilize the government.
The ceasefire agreement, which paused the war and freed dozens of hostages held by militants in Gaza, was opposed by Ben-Gvir due to its requirement for Israel to free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and withdraw troops from Gaza’s southern border with Egypt. He also objected to the deal’s potential to allow Hamas to remain in power in Gaza.
Ben-Gvir, who oversaw Israel’s police force as national security minister, had encouraged Netanyahu to press ahead with the war in Gaza and had blocked previous efforts to reach a ceasefire. He has a history of controversial actions, including visits to Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, the contested hilltop compound that houses the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Ben-Gvir’s resignation does not threaten the ceasefire, but it weakens Netanyahu’s governing coalition. If other far-right lawmakers follow suit, Netanyahu’s government could collapse, potentially leading to early elections.