According to Al Jazeera, Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has strongly criticized Benny Gantz's resignation from the country's war cabinet, calling it an act that plays into the hands of Israel's enemies.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Smotrich stated, "There is no act less stately than withdrawing from the government during a war."
He went on to say, "This is exactly what [Yahya] Sinwar, [Hasan] Nasrallah and Iran were aiming for, and unfortunately you are fulfilling their request."
Smotrich was referring to the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, Israel's sworn adversaries in the ongoing conflict. He called on "all the leaders of the Zionist parties for whom the State of Israel is important to join the unity government until victory."
Gantz, the leader of the National Unity Party and a former defense minister, announced his resignation from the emergency government on Saturday, citing a lack of progress in the war against Hamas and the failure to secure the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
The resignation comes at a critical juncture in the conflict, with Israel having withdrawn its ground forces from Gaza while continuing airstrikes and other operations against Hamas targets. The IDF has also stated that the war is far from over and that it will continue to dismantle Hamas's military and governmental capabilities.
Smotrich's comments underscore the political tensions within Israel as the country grapples with the challenges of the ongoing conflict. While Gantz's resignation does not immediately threaten Netanyahu's governing coalition, it does risk further isolating the prime minister on the international stage.
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