Ben Gvir during a conference calling on Israel to rebuild settlements in the Gaza Strip (Reuters)

There is no doubt that the image of the ministers and legislators of the Likud Party and the "Jewish Power" Party (Otzma Yehudit) dancing ecstatically at last Sunday's conference, to restore Jewish settlement in Gaza and deport its Palestinian residents, fits perfectly into the "Hall of Shame" of disgraceful images that nationalists brag about. And the “Bibis” (referring to Benjamin Netanyahu’s supporters), the Messianics, and the war-mad racist right-wingers.

With this paragraph, Israeli journalist Yossi Farter began an article entitled “Israel is heading towards street battles between the extreme right and the families of prisoners held by Hamas,” in which he warned that the two extreme right-wing ministers: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir are working to exclude a member of the war government. Mini Benny Gantz and taking over his seat, which is what he said that the ground seems more and more prepared for him.

He highlighted that the aforementioned “Hall of Shame” has a picture of criminal defendant No. 1, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the opening day of his trial in 2020, surrounded by ministers and gagged Knesset members from his party, in addition to a picture of the celebration in the Knesset after the repeal of the “Reasonableness Condition” law in June. June 2023, noting that these two events constituted a declaration of war against the Israeli judiciary and the rule of law.

He stressed that Sunday's nauseating display gave an international dimension to this issue, explaining that government officials and representatives in the Knesset, including many members of the ruling party, appeared to be rejoicing as they participated in this demonstration, as if they were in a parallel world in which their saliva was dripping and their eyes were shining, as they sought to rebuild. Jewish cities in the Gaza Strip, and the displacement of more than two million of its residents.

He commented on this by saying that he would be very pleased with the BDS movement.

The writer added that he has no doubt that Netanyahu could, if he wanted, prevent Likud ministers from attending the conference, and if he had asked nicely, even the head of the United Torah Judaism party, Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, would not have attended.

But he pointed out that Netanyahu has no influence on the members of Otzma Yehudit and religious Zionism. Rather, as is known, they despise him and ignore everything he says while they work to achieve their ultimate goal: regional unrest, eternal war, and the establishment of a religious state and an isolated nation like North Korea. .

According to the author, the leaders of the two far-right parties share a common goal: removing the National Unity Party led by Gantz from the government as quickly as possible. When that happens, they will demand a seat in the war cabinet, and for now, everything seems to be going their way, according to Yossi Verter.

The growing power of the far-right settler movement, which Netanyahu is strengthening and eventually falling into its trap, enables Ben Gvir’s faction and other far-right leaders to get away with more, but soon this force will be in a confrontation with a weak Netanyahu at a critical juncture, which is what will happen if Hamas approved and implemented the hostage deal in Paris, according to the writer.

Werther explained that this would lead to the release of large numbers of Palestinian prisoners, including members of the "elite" forces who are accused of being responsible for the attack on October 7, 2023.

Such a deal, according to Werther, would spark political controversy within the coalition and in Israeli public opinion, as its opponents would be led by Ben Gvir and Smotrich, while the real public in Israel and its leaders would support it.

But it may end up with right-wing extremists confronting family members of prisoners in the streets, “and of course Netanyahu will watch this from the balcony, rubbing his hands with pleasure,” as the writer put it.

Werther concluded with what Netanyahu said to reporters on Saturday night, when he used “one of the meanest phrases” that an Israeli prime minister in wartime can say: “I am fighting Hamas, and you are fighting me,” indicating that whoever can stoop to this level is capable of doing anything. .

Source: Haaretz