Two right-wing Israeli cabinet members warn they will dismantle the current regime if it endorses the Biden peace proposal.
President Biden revealed on Friday a three-stage Israeli plan aimed at putting an end to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. The plan involves releasing hostages while simultaneously implementing a comprehensive and total ceasefire.
Delivering a speech at the White House, Biden stated that Hamas had been weakened sufficiently that they were no longer capable of carrying out the intensity of attacks witnessed in the incident on October 7, which sparked the current conflict in Gaza.
Biden firmly proclaimed, "It's time for this war to end," suggesting that, in his view, Israel had achieved its war objectives.
However, the two most influential far-right members of the Israeli government, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, openly expressed their opposition to an immediate ceasefire. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also hinted that he's not ready to conclude the war, raising questions about the validity of Biden's proposal.
Through a social media post, Smotrich emphasized his dissent, informing Netanyahu that he would "refuse to be part of a government that would agree to the proposed outline and end the war without destroying Hamas and returning all the hostages."
Smotrich emphasized the necessity to continue the fighting until the "destruction of Hamas and the return of all the hostages" and the "establishment of a completely new security situation in Gaza and Lebanon."
National Security Minister Ben Gvir, in a similar vein, critiqued the deal as "risky" and "a win for terrorism," adding that it posed a grave security threat to Israel.
"If the prime minister proceeds with the careless deal as defined by the conditions disclosed today, namely the cessation of the war and the abandonment of efforts to annihilate Hamas, my party, Otzma Yehudit, will disassemble the coalition," Ben Gvir warned.
During his address at the White House, Biden acknowledged the inner divisions in the Israeli government, explicitly appealing to ordinary Israelis to express their support.
"I realize there are those in Israel who do not endorse this initiative and yearn for the war to persist indefinitely. Some, in fact, are even members of the governing coalition," Biden mentioned.
Netanyahu Under Siege
The plan would entail the release of hostages and Israel's withdrawal from all populated regions within the Gaza Strip, eventually leading to a rebuilding project for Gaza, an area ravaged by the fighting.
The push for this proposal has received widespread support, with the UN and other global powers urging both Israel and Hamas to embrace it. Hamas applauded the proposal, expressing its readiness "to handle the situation positively and constructively based on a perpetual ceasefire."
Yet, less than an hour since Biden unveiled the proposal, Netanyahu insisted that Israel would not conclude the Gaza conflict before achieving all its desired objectives, including Hamas's destruction.
The degree of Netanyahu's endorsement for the plan remains murky, as his statement suggested that the "specific outline" of Israel's proposal would allow the country to "maintain its principles."
Under immense pressure, not only from within his coalition but also from outside, Netanyahu is also feeling the weight of international demands to conclude the Gaza war.
The war originated from Hamas's assault on Israeli civilians on October 7, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,200 individuals and the capture of over 200 hostages. The subsequent Israeli offensive in Gaza has led to over 36,000 casualties.
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The international community, including the UN, has advocated for the adoption of President Biden's proposed three-stage plan to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip, which involves the release of hostages and a comprehensive ceasefire. Despite this, Middle Eastern tensions persist, as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir have vocalized their opposition to any agreement that does not include the destruction of Hamas and the return of all hostages, threatening to dismantle the Israeli government if necessary.
