Israel minister threatens to topple govt if war doesn't resume after 1st phase of ceasefire

Jerusalem, Jan 21 (AP) Israel's far-right finance minister has threatened to topple Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition if he doesn't resume the war in Gaza after the first phase of ceasefire expires in six weeks.

Bezalel Smotrich made the threat on Monday, a day after the ceasefire went into effect.

"If, God forbid, the war is not resumed, I will bring the government down," Smotrich told reporters.

Smotrich, who leads an ultranationalist religious party, voted against the deal but has remained in the governing coalition for the time being.

His departure would rob Netanyahu of his parliamentary majority, setting the stage for the government's collapse and early elections.

Smotrich said he has received assurances that Israel will resume the war after the first phase, during which 33 hostages held in Gaza are to return home and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are to be freed.

The second phase, which must still be negotiated, is to work out an end to the war and return of all remaining hostages.

"I insisted, demanded, and received an unequivocal commitment from the prime minister, the minister of defence and the the rest of my Cabinet colleagues -- we will not stop this war a moment before realising its full goals," Smotrich said.

Israel's national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has already resigned over the ceasefire agreement.

Netanyahu, hoping to stabilise his fragile coalition, has so far offered the public no guarantees that Israel will proceed to Phase 2 of the agreement. (AP) ARI

Source: PTI