DaysofPal – Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have voiced fierce opposition to any political process that could end the war on Gaza or lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state, amid reports of high-level discussions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The comments come in response to reports in Israeli media that Netanyahu and Trump have reached a preliminary understanding on a plan to end the war in Gaza and broaden regional normalization agreements in exchange for initiating talks on a future Palestinian state, subject to reforms in the Palestinian Authority.
Speaking to Yedioth Ahronoth, Ben-Gvir lashed out at the idea of renewed negotiations, saying, I find it hard to believe that the prime minister will repeat the mistakes of the past and enter into negotiations that could lead to the establishment of a Palestinian terrorist state or dangerous concessions.”
He added, “The people of Israel want victory, not new attempts to appease terrorism under the guise of peace,” asserting that “only complete decisiveness [in Gaza], which includes occupation, settlement, and the imposition of sovereignty, is the real response to the Palestinian lie, not withdrawals or surrender.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich echoed Ben-Gvir’s rejection, particularly criticizing any normalization efforts with Arab states that might come at the cost of accepting a Palestinian state.
“Expanding the Abraham Accords is wonderful (…) but if this is a shiny cover for an existential threat that is the division of the country and the establishment of a Palestinian state twenty times the size of Gaza… then the answer is no, thank you,” he wrote on X.
Smotrich further warned Prime Minister Netanyahu: “Let it be clear that you have no mandate, not even a hint or a word, to negotiate a Palestinian state”.
These statements reflect a widening rift within the Israeli government, as some coalition officials reportedly support ending the war in Gaza after more than 21 months of fighting.
According to Channel 12, a senior Likud official criticized the continued military presence in Gaza, stating, “It is impossible to deny that the public is tired of the Gaza arena… staying in Gaza is a political mistake.”
While Netanyahu faces pressure from far-right ministers to maintain the current course, a growing portion of the Israeli public appears to favor a diplomatic resolution.
A recent poll conducted by Walla, in partnership with the Panel For All Center, showed that 67 percent of Israelis support ending the war and reaching a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas. The survey sampled 583 Israelis, with a 4.3 percent margin of error.
Walla noted, “The public is showing greater insistence on ending the war in Gaza and signing an agreement to release Israeli detainees.”
According to Israeli estimates, 51 prisoners remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. In contrast, over 10,400 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, with numerous reports from both Palestinian and Israeli rights organizations citing systemic torture, starvation, and medical neglect that have led to the deaths of several detainees.
Despite growing domestic fatigue over the war, Netanyahu’s Likud party has reportedly gained support due to recent escalations with Iran. If elections were held today, the party would gain four seats, bringing its total to 26 in the 120-member Knesset, according to Walla.
Netanyahu, who continues to face international legal scrutiny, has thus far rebuffed all calls for early elections. Critics accuse him of prolonging the war in Gaza to entrench his political power.
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