As right-wing ministers threaten to dismantle the coalition, Netanyahu warns against “toppling right-wing governments,” while Smotrich accuses him of surrendering to Hamas.
The Israeli government is facing one of its most dramatic internal rifts since the war began, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back against threats from his right-wing allies to collapse the coalition if Hamas is not decisively defeated in Gaza.
Opening Sunday’s Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu promised a forthcoming statement aimed squarely at the “gatekeepers from the right,” warning:
“The right has a special talent for toppling right-wing governments — and then we pay tragic prices.”
The tension was underscored by the absence of all ministers from the Religious Zionism Party and Otzma Yehudit, a pointed political statement amid growing frustration with the government’s war strategy.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich delivered a blistering critique of Netanyahu’s handling of the war, accusing him of “succumbing to weakness” and abandoning a plan that combined a swift military victory with a hardline diplomatic offensive to crush Hamas.
“In Gaza, we hit Hamas hard and eliminated much of its leadership and terror infrastructure — but the job isn’t done,” Smotrich said. “Instead of pushing for total victory, the Prime Minister has settled for a partial maneuver aimed at forcing a hostage deal — a move that leaves Hamas breathing room to recover, rearm, and restart the cycle of terror.”
Smotrich accused Netanyahu of pursuing short-term political optics over long-term security, warning that partial pauses in fighting would embolden Hamas.
“This is not how you win wars, this is not how you bring home hostages, and this is not how you achieve national dignity.”
He branded the decision to risk soldiers’ lives for a limited operation “immoral and nonsensical folly” and admitted — for the first time since the war began — that he could no longer stand behind Netanyahu’s leadership.
In a direct challenge, Smotrich called on Netanyahu to “reconvene the Cabinet and declare no more stopping in the middle — no partial deals, no retreats.” His vision includes the total surrender or destruction of Hamas, annexation of large parts of Gaza, and opening the door to voluntary emigration.
The showdown marks a dangerous flashpoint for Netanyahu’s coalition — caught between mounting international pressure for restraint and an emboldened right wing demanding a final, all-out victory.
