Israel’s Smotrich challenges Netanyahu’s endorsement of US proposal
Shafaq News – Middle East
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Tuesday blasted the US-backed proposal to end the war in Gaza, calling it a strategic mistake while stopping short of outright rejection.
Smotrich, leader of the far-right Religious Zionism party and a key figure in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, detailed his objections in a post on X, with his stance—alongside that of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir—seen as critical to the government’s stability after Netanyahu endorsed the plan during his Washington visit on Monday.
Labeling celebrations over the proposal “absurd,” Smotrich accused supporters of trading battlefield gains for “political illusions and empty diplomatic fanfare,” while condemning the plan’s provision for a Palestinian security role in Gaza and central involvement of Qatar, which he branded a “historic missed opportunity to escape the Oslo framework”—a reference to the 1993 peace accords that sought to lay the foundation for a Palestinian state.
יש לי הרבה מה לומר, ואעשה זאת בע"ה לאחר שורת התייעצויות שאקיים היום. אבל יש דבר אחד שכבר אפשר לומר, וסליחה מראש על השבתת השמחה והראיה המפוכחת של המציאות:לחזור אחרי ה- 7 לאוקטובר ואחרי שנתיים של מסירות וגבורה והקרבה של עם של אריות, עם מחירים כואבים ועם הישגים דרמטיים ברוך השם…
— בצלאל סמוטריץ' (@bezalelsm) September 30, 2025
He warned that “disregarding the lessons of Hamas’s October 7 attack would trigger another diplomatic collapse,” questioning whether Netanyahu’s reluctance to impose full military control over Gaza signals broader limits on Israel’s strategy.
Smotrich claimed to have delivered his party’s “red lines” to Netanyahu before the Washington trip. Both he and Ben-Gvir have repeatedly threatened to bring down the coalition over similar deals, prompting opposition leaders to offer Netanyahu a parliamentary safety net while accusing him of prioritizing political survival over freeing hostages.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes, confirmed Israel’s endorsement of the US proposal but pledged in a Telegram post to secure hostage releases, while ensuring troops remain deployed “in most areas of the Gaza Strip.”
He dismissed any interpretation that Israel had accepted a Palestinian state, framing the outcome of his Washington visit as a “historic achievement.”
מסכמים ביקור חשוב בארה״ב. עדכון קצר ממני אליכם >>🇮🇱🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/SmVo642hfx
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) September 29, 2025
According to the White House, the US proposal includes an immediate ceasefire contingent on agreement from both sides, a phased Israeli withdrawal to designated lines, and staged hostage releases with Israeli forces holding positions until conditions for full pullout are met.
Read more: Ceasefire, hostages, reconstruction at core of Trump’s Gaza blueprint
