Israeli Extremist Party Pulls Out of Cabinet, Protests Gaza Ceasefire

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - 's far-right Jewish Power (Otzma Yehudit) party announced on Saturday that it would leave the Israeli coalition government led by Benjamin Netanyahu. In addition, as reported by Anadolu, the party's leader, Itamar Ben Gvir, will step down as national security minister on Sunday, January 19, 2025.

"This decision was taken because of the approval of the reckless agreement with Hamas, the Otzma Yehudit party will submit a letter of resignation from the government and the coalition tomorrow morning. Ministers Ben Gvir, Yitzhak Wasserlauf and Amichai Eliyahu, as well as MK (Knesset) committee chairmen Zvika Fogel, Limor Son Har-Melech and MK Yitzhak Kroizer, will also leave their posts," the official Israel Broadcasting Authority said, citing a statement issued by the party.

Earlier on Thursday, Ben Gvir had expressed his intention to resign as national security minister and his party to leave the coalition government if a Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas is approved.

The Israeli government approved the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in the Gaza Strip Friday night during an hours-long Cabinet meeting, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported.

National Security Minister Ben Gvir had reportedly tried to persuade Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, also a right-wing extremist, to resign with him if the deal was approved.

However, Smotrich only voted against the deal during extended government and Security Cabinet votes on Friday and Saturday morning.

With the loss of Ben Gvir's Jewish Power party, Netanyahu's coalition lost six seats in parliament, or Knesset. However, it is not enough to topple his government.

The current ruling coalition consists of 68 seats from right-wing extremist, right-wing and ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) parties. With the departure of Ben Gvir’s party, the coalition will be reduced to 62 seats, still enough to maintain its majority.

Qatar announced a three-phase ceasefire deal on Wednesday night to end more than 15 months of Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire will go into effect at 8:30 a.m. Sunday local time.

Nearly 47,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children. More than 110,700 have also been injured in Israel’s genocide in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, according to local health authorities.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its war on the enclave.

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