‘Otzma Yehudit’ Party Resigns Israeli Knesset over Hostage Deal

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was targeted for assassination by an Iran-directed terror cell. (Youtube/Screenshot) (Youtube/Screenshot)

‘The deal will erase the achievements of the war,’ said party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir.

By JNS and United with Israel Staff

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit Party formally resigned from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government on Sunday morning, a day after Jerusalem approved the ceasefire deal with the Hamas terrorist group.

Ben-Gvir submitted his resignation alongside fellow Otzma Yehudit members Yitzhak Wasserlauf, who had led the Ministry for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev, and the Galilee since late 2022, and Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu.

Otzma Yehudit Party lawmakers Zvika Fogel, Limor Son Har-Melech and Yitzhak Kreuzer also informed coalition chairman Ofir Katz of their resignation from various Knesset committees, according to reports.

On Thursday, Ben-Gvir announced that if the hostage deal was approved, his party would quit the government. However, he added that his party would rejoin the government if the war was renewed.

Flanked by members of his party, Ben-Gvir said on Thursday that the deal means “the end of the war before Hamas is beaten,” adding that he had pleaded with the prime minister in a private meeting to jettison the deal, which he said gives a “prize to terror.”

Calling it a “reckless deal,” the Otzma Yehudit leader said the agreement will set free hundreds of murderous terrorists, pull the IDF from the Egypt-Gaza border and return thousands of terrorists to the northern Gaza Strip.

“The deal will, in fact, erase the achievements of the war,” he said.

Otzma Yehudit controls six seats in the Knesset.

On Saturday evening, Minister Eliyahu visited a protest of bereaved and hostage families against the ceasefire deal, where he called the deal a “disgrace.”

“There were ministers who said they know this deal is a reward for terror, yet they still voted for it,” he said, according to Israel National News.

“A minister I really love told me he is voting for it because he doesn’t have in front of him the images of those who will be murdered in the future. The deal is a disgrace. It’s a shame. Are we, as a full right-wing government, signing on this? The disgrace is ours. No one went to Trump and told him this is a deal more suitable for Biden. I tell President Trump, this is not the hell you promised Hamas,” said Eliyahu.

He added, “Those who signed the deal should not come to future funerals. I call from here to my fellow government members – it’s still not too late. Stop this disgrace.”

Wally Wolfstahl, father of fallen soldier Captain Ariel Mordechay Wollfstal, who fell in Gaza, told Israel National News during the protest, “I feel humiliated this evening. I hear they are going to strengthen the platoons in Judea and Samaria. The absurdity is unimaginable. Instead of the terrorists rotting in prisons, we should fear they will come to our homes and harm us. I can’t understand it,” he said.

“We met with the Prime Minister, who promised us the war goals would be achieved. I hear the Prime Minister is not sure if we will return to fighting. The situation scares me greatly. We see Hamas setting terms for the strong and great State of Israel. We will continue protesting against the deal,” he added.

Yehoshua Shani, father of fallen soldier Captain Uri Shani, said, “This is a dangerous deal – dangerous for the hostages, dangerous for the security of Israeli citizens, and dangerous for IDF soldiers. The partial deal leaves behind our kidnapped brothers; it will leave dozens of new ‘Ron Arads’ behind and bring Israel into a national tragedy for decades to come.”

He added, “Hundreds of arch-murderers will be released to the streets; we have seen how this ended in the past. The release of hundreds of murderers and leaders of terrorist organizations to the streets during war – an encouragement for terror and an immediate threat to the security of Israeli citizens. Leaving the Hamas organization functioning as a governmental and military force, returning a million evacuees to the northern Gaza strip, stopping the war, and losing strategic assets, which were purchased with our soldiers’ precious blood, will force the IDF to act again – and will certainly endanger our soldiers.”