Far-right politicians in Jerusalem have sharply criticized a possible ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Shiite Hezbollah militia.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the far-right Religious Zionist Party, posted on X on Thursday: “The campaign in the north should end in one scenario: crushing Hezbollah and depriving it of the opportunity to harm the residents of (Israel’s) north.”
“The enemy must not be given time to recover from the heavy blows he has received and to reorganize for continuing the war after 21 days,” Smotrich wrote.
Smotrich added: “Whether Hezbollah surrenders or there is war, that is the only way we can bring back the residents and security in the north and the country.”
The far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, led by hardliner and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, called an emergency meeting following reports in the Israeli media about a possible ceasefire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu depends on his far-right coalition partners for his political survival.
