‘It’ll end in tears’: Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich
Israel’s far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich has slammed a peace plan released by Donald Trump and backed by Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza.
Israel’s far-right finance minister on Tuesday slammed a wide-ranging peace plan unveiled by US President Donald Trump and backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a day earlier to end the nearly two-year war in Gaza.
In a long post on X, Bezalel Smotrich called the plan “a resounding diplomatic failure, a closing of eyes and turning our backs on all the lessons of October 7,” referring to Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war.
“In my estimation, it will also end in tears. Our children will be forced to fight in Gaza again,” he added.
The reaction of Mr Smotrich and fellow right-winger Itamar Ben-Gvir is being closely watched in Israel, because of their influence over Mr Netanyahu, their coalition partner.
They have previously threatened to leave government if the Prime Minister agreed a peace deal with Hamas.
However crucially, despite his antagonism to the proposal, Mr Smotrich did not say he would oppose it. “We will consult, consider, and decide, with God’s help,” he said. “But the celebrations since yesterday are simply absurd.”
Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian armed group fighting alongside Hamas in Gaza, also - predictably - lashed the plan, calling it “a recipe for continued aggression against the Palestinian people”.
“Through this, Israel is attempting – via the United States – to impose what it could not achieve through war,” the terror group said.
Hamas has yet to respond to the proposal, but is reviewing it “in good faith,” according to Israeli and Arab media. Qatar has said it was confident it could pressure the militant group to accept the plan.
Mr Smotrich and Islamic Jihad have been the only dissenting voices, with almost total support for the plan across the world.
Importantly, Arab and Muslim nations have backed Mr Trump’s plan to both end the war in Gaza and bring a wider peace to the Middle East.
Washington’s European allies urged Hamas to accept the plan, while eight Arab and Muslim-majority nations in a joint statement said they “welcome the role of the American President and his sincere efforts aimed at ending the war in Gaza”.
The countries, including Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, said they “affirm their readiness to engage positively and constructively with the United States and the parties toward finalising the agreement and ensuring its implementation”.
Also signing the statement were Qatar, which has played a key mediatory role, and Saudi Arabia, whose future normalisation with Israel is a key goal for Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu.
Indonesia and Pakistan, the two most populous Muslim-majority countries, also joined the statement. Jakarta has offered troops as part of a future Gaza force.
Mr Trump hailed a statement by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, posted on X even before the White House announcement, in which he voiced his “firm belief that President Trump is fully prepared to assist in whatever way necessary” to secure an end to the war.
The Palestinian Authority, which Mr Netanyahu has sought to sideline, was also quick to offer support, welcoming Mr Trump’s “sincere and determined efforts”.
The plan includes a call for a transitional body in Gaza led by Mr Trump and involving former British prime minister Tony Blair.
“President Trump has put down a bold and intelligent plan, which, if agreed, can end the war, bring immediate relief to Gaza, the chance of a brighter and better future for its people, whilst ensuring Israel’s absolute and enduring security and the release of all hostages,” Sir Tony said in a statement.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also welcomed the plan, saying: “We call on all sides to come together and to work with the US Administration to finalise this agreement and bring it into reality. Hamas should now agree to the plan and end the misery, by laying down their arms and releasing all remaining hostages.”
AP, AFP
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