Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends an inauguration event for Israel’s new light rail line for the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, in Petah Tikva, Israel, August 17, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
Israel’s far-right Finance Minister, currently excluded from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet, pressed on Monday for a broader inclusion of lawmakers advocating a tougher stance towards Hamas in decision-making processes related to the ongoing conflict.
Netanyahu, overseeing the war with a limited group of ministers from his Likud party and a centrist opposition faction, faced criticism from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and other hardline cabinet members for excluding them from significant decision-making. The recent decision to allow some fuel into Gaza for humanitarian reasons, in response to a U.S. request, drew particular scrutiny.
Smotrich, citing this move as a “grave mistake,” argued for an expansion of the war cabinet. He contended that permitting fuel into Gaza provided Hamas with a lifeline during the conflict. Netanyahu’s office declined to comment on Smotrich’s proposal.
In his statement, Smotrich emphasized the need for the war cabinet to include previously unheard opinions, specifically those advocating for the elimination of Hamas. The exclusion of hardline voices from crucial decisions has become a point of contention within the broader Israeli cabinet during the conflict.
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