Itamar Ben-Gvir threatens Netanyahu again

On Saturday evening Ben-Gvir warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that if Hamas — one of the stated objectives of the Gaza war — is not dismantled and if a proposed law to execute Palestinian prisoners is not passed, his party, Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power), will dissolve the cabinet at a specified time.

According to Channel 12 of Israeli television, these remarks came after the implementation of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange in Gaza.

Ben-Gvir had previously threatened that if Hamas is not dismantled after the end of the Gaza war, he would move to overthrow the cabinet.

Ben-Gvir said: “In light of recent developments, my faction Otzma Yehudit and I have made it clear to the prime minister that if Hamas remains in existence after the release of all the hostages, Otzma Yehudit will not be part of the government. We will not be part of a failure that will forever be a stain of shame and become a ticking time bomb preparing for future slaughter.”

He added: “Under no circumstances can we agree to a scenario that gives a group which carried out the greatest catastrophe in Israel’s history an opportunity to return. In such a case, we will under no circumstances be partners in the cabinet.”