Far-right Israeli Minister Smotrich Heads to US as Israel Threatens to Resume Gaza Genocide war
Washington (Quds News Network)- Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich headed to Washington on Tuesday to discuss economic and political cooperation, as Israel threatens to resume its assault on Gaza, with backing from the Trump administration.
The far-right minister said Tuesday that he was making a brief visit to the US to “strengthen economic cooperation” and “deepen the strategic alliance between our two countries.”
Writing on X, Smotrich said he had taken off overnight and would meet with US officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
“I will also emphasize in my meetings Israel’s determined stance in the fight against terror and the need for clear American support,” said Smotrich.
He came to the US after Trump, on his first day in office, canceled sanctions against extremist Israeli settlers accused of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
Israel also announced on Sunday that it has imposed a block on all aid entering Gaza following the end of the first phase of the ceasefire deal a day earlier, in violation of the ceasefire agreement which took effect on January 19. Israel’s decision came after Hamas refused to accept the extension of the first phase of the ceasefire deal, noting it will only release captives in phases, per the ceasefire agreement, which Israel is now refusing to continue.
Israel said that it had accepted a last-minute proposal put on the table by the US president’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, for a temporary ceasefire over Ramadan and Passover.
According to Israel, the proposal also outlined the release of all captives still in Gaza in two stages, with the second stage contingent on negotiating a permanent ceasefire.
Hamas said it would only accept moving to the second stage, which was supposed to guarantee the definitive end of the assault, an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the release of remaining captives.
Smotrich praised the move to block humanitarian aid, saying it “is an important step in the right direction.”
Describing the decision as the “threshold of the gates of hell,” he added: “Now we need to open those gates as quickly and lethally as possible on the cruel enemy, until absolute victory.”
The Israeli occupation government is also threatening to resume its genocide war on Gaza with “the gates of Gaza will be locked, and the gates of hell will open”.
Trump said he is “fine” with the resumption of the Israeli assault. The White House has also backed Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid.
Smotrich supports the reoccupation of Gaza, the rebuilding of illegal Israeli settlements, and the forced displacement of the Palestinian population in Gaza. Smotrich has also called for Israel to annex the West Bank, and he urged Netanyahu to advocate Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank when the prime minister visited Washington earlier this month.
