Israel Finance Minister opposes release of Palestinian prisoners in potential Gaza ceasefire deal

Israel’s Finance Minister has stated his firm opposition to releasing Palestinian prisoners in a potential agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza, further destabilising the ongoing talks and any possibility of Israeli cooperation in them.

According to Bezalel Smotrich, the Israeli Finance Minister and leader of the far-right Religious Zionist Party, the release of Palestinian prisoners would be a “terrible and horrific event”, insisting that “I will not agree to it, a red line must be drawn.”

During the months-long negotiations for a ceasefire in Israel’s ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip, Palestinian and Israeli representatives – alongside Qatari, Egyptian and American mediators – have repeatedly come to an impasse, usually due to obstructions caused by the Israeli side.

READ: Zionist cruelty to Palestinian prisoners

Resolutions are still being discussed at the negotiating tables, however, with the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails being a key component of those talks.

“We saw what happened in the deal for Gilad Shalit. We released Yahya Sinwar and we see what we got in return,” Smotrich said, referring to the October 2011 prisoner swap which saw Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, returned in exchange for the release of Yahya Sinwar, who then went on to become the current leader of Palestinian Resistance group, Hamas.

“With what logic will we release the next Yahya Sinwar and endanger thousands more Israelis?” the Israeli Finance Minister asked. Criticising Israel’s “security establishment” by claiming it is pursuing an “illegal deal at any cost”, Smotrich exclaimed that “I will oppose this even if it ends my political career.”

READ: Ex-Shin Bet official: Releasing Abdullah Barghouti akin to freeing ‘another Sinwar’