Israel’s political right warns war on Gaza is not over

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned that Israel’s war on Gaza is not over, despite a Gaza ceasefire deal, the Middle East Eye reported on October 9th.

In a statement on X, Smotrich said that he would not vote for the first phase of the ceasefire deal, which would see the remaining 48 Israeli hostages released from Gaza in an exchange for 2,000 Palestinian detainees who are being held in Israeli detention.

He said that Israel had a “tremendous responsibility to ensure that this is not, God forbid, a deal of ‘hostages in exchange for stopping the war,’ as Hamas thinks”.

Smotrich added: “The State of Israel will continue to strive with all its might for the true eradication of Hamas and the genuine disarmament of Gaza, so that it no longer poses a threat to Israel.”

The minister has previously, alongside National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir of the Otzma Yehudit Party (or Jewish Power Party), urged the Israeli government to reject any ceasefire deals and continue the war until Hamas has been eliminated.

Limor Son Har Melech, an MP from Ben-Gvir’s party, wrote an article for Channel 7 that said: “A deal in which even a single Hamas supporter remains alive is a resounding failure.”

Supporters of Smotrich include the Settlement Minister Orit Strook, who is also a member of Smotrich’s Religious Zionism Party, an ultra-nationalist political movement that advocates for the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied West Bank and Occupied Jerusalem, as well as the depopulation of Gaza to make way for new Jewish settlements in the enclave.

Strook told Israeli news site Ynet that the ceasefire would be “giving up parts of the Land of Israel, because Gaza is part of the Land of Israel, and I am disappointed that Netanyahu did not explain it to Trump”.

Smotrich has described the plans to expand settlements as, “Zionism at its best—building, settling and strengthening our sovereignty in the Land of Israel.”

This sentiment has been echoed by leading settler advocate Ayelet Lash, who wrote on X that “if Netanyahu signs this humiliating, dangerous, and crazy surrender deal and intends to stick to it, rebuild Gaza and give the Nazis there a complete victory, he must go home.”

Elisha Yered, a prominent member of the paramilitary settler group Hilltop Youth, said the ceasefire deal would bring “the State of Israel to its knees after two years of castrated and handcuffed fighting”.

He added: “The bottom line is that Hamas is portrayed as a winner in the eyes of our enemies around the world.”

Cartoonist Or Reichert claimed the ceasefire would mean: “Every retarded Arab will try to kidnap a Jew, because there is really no price. The only price is expulsion, occupation and settlement. Pray that we come to our senses.”

In a message which appears to address Israeli settlers, Reichert ended the statement with, “Arm yourself.” This was most likely a warning to settlers that they must defend themselves against anyone who threatens the State of Israel.

Middle East Eye, Maghrebi.org