The Bayit Yehudi party plans to oppose the ceasefire arrangement that is now being worked out between Hamas and Israel through third-party negotiators.
“Bayit-Yehudi ministers will vote against the Israel-Hamas agreement,” Naftali Bennett told reporters, as he warned that he would turn Hamas into “Hezbollah 2.”
He warned this was only a temporary arrangement that would allow Hamas to strengthen itself militarily in preparation for another round of violence with Israel.
Bennett spoke in advance of a security cabinet meeting Wednesday, the fourth in 10 days, to discuss a cease-fire arrangement brokered by the United Nations and Egypt.
As the work toward the arrangement has intensified, the Hamas violence against Israel has calmed. The last three days have marked the quietest period in almost a month.
Israel in response is likely to re-open the Kerem Shalom Crossing into Gaza for commercial goods, as well as fuel and gas.
"This 'quiet' will give Hamas total immunity so that it can rearm itself with tens of thousands of rockets that will threaten all parts of the country and will allow it to launch a war against Israel at the right time, and under convenient conditions," Bennett said. “Ultimately this will lead to the opening of two dangerous fronts, in the North and South, at a time determined by the enemy and according to its conditions. After 130 days of incendiary terror and rockets, we must not reward the terrorists without the return of our captives. The terrorists will learn that terror pays and Israel's deterrent power will be harmed."
Before the security cabinet meeting on August 5, Intelligence Minister Israel Katz tweeted, “The situation in Gaza is nearing a decision, either an arrangement or war” – a status that still holds true 10 days later.