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Disagreements and conflicts are worsening within the corridors of government in Israel regarding the position on an agreement to stop fighting and exchange prisoners with the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip. Will Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s extremist partners succeed in obstructing the deal?

According to the academic and expert on Israeli affairs, Dr. Muhannad Mustafa, Netanyahu faces a real dilemma. If he accepts the exchange deal with the Palestinian resistance, it will mean the overthrow of his government, as his extremist partners will withdraw from it, especially Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and if he opposes it, the minister will withdraw. In the Israeli war council Benny Gantz.

But what is happening - as the expert says - is that everyone has common interests in the Netanyahu government, and they do not want to overthrow this government because they know that it constitutes a historic opportunity to achieve the ideological goals of the extreme right in Israel.

Ben Gvir's statements

Regarding Ben Gvir’s statements in which he attacked the administration of US President Joe Biden, William Lawrence - a former US State Department official - acknowledged that Ben Gvir is a problem for American foreign policy, and for a long time Washington has been frustrated with him and Smotrich, but Netanyahu has not taken action regarding them. He described Ben Gvir and Smotrich as the worst face of Israeli policy.

Extremist Israeli MPs Itamar Ben Gvir (left) and Bezalel Smotrich (Reuters)

Lawrence pointed out - in his interview with the program "Gaza... What's Next?" - that American support for Israel has moved over the past decades from the left to the Zionist and fanatical right such as Ben Gvir and others, recalling in the same context Netanyahu's position with former US President Barack Obama, where he stood Against him and addressed Congress behind his back, he said.

The former US State Department official considered that Ben Gvir's statements regarding the United States constitute a disaster for US foreign policy and its reputation in the world, and called on US ambassadors to communicate with the Israeli opposition, saying that his country is ready to deal with any government that comes after Netanyahu's government.

Ben Gvir said - in an interview with the Wall Street Journal - that Biden, “instead of providing full support to us, is providing humanitarian aid and fuel to Gaza, and that goes to Hamas,” and he considered that American behavior would be completely different if former President Donald Trump were In the presidency.

On the other hand, the former American official believed that Washington must be clear about the settlers, many of whom he said are American citizens who have obtained Israeli citizenship, and that it must end the war on the Gaza Strip.

The academic and expert in Israeli affairs confirms that the elites in Israel believe that Ben Gvir is sabotaging Israeli-American relations, especially since Washington provides great support to Tel Aviv in its war on the Gaza Strip.

Source: Al Jazeera