BICOM

After Israel agreed to a ceasefire with Hamas last night, dissatisfaction over the agreement and the government’s overall Gaza strategy was expressed by political leaders from both the right and left.

The open-ended truce brokered by Egypt was agreed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but Economy Minister and Jewish Home head Naftali Bennett said that there was no Security Cabinet vote on the deal, with ministers updated by phone. Ynet speculates that had the agreement come to a vote, it would have been opposed by Bennett, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Communications Minister Gilad Erdan and Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich, on the basis that Gaza has not been demilitarised while the threat to Israeli civilians remains.

Jewish Home Minister Uri Ariel commented, “Any agreement that doesn’t include eliminating the rocket threat on residents of Israel and demilitarising the Gaza Strip is less than half of what is necessary.” Meanwhile, senior Shas MK Eli Yishai said, “This will be time for Hamas to resupply itself with weaponry to use against Israel … Not demilitarising Gaza will bring Israel to another round of fighting that will be even worse.”

The lack of a decisive outcome to Operation Protective Edge was also criticised by Meretz leader Zahava Gal-On, who said “this cease-fire comes too late, and its conditions prove … Netanyahu’s strategic failure, as he went to war without goals and finished [it] letting Hamas gain on the backs of residents of the South.”

Opposition and Labour Party leader Isaac Herzog stressed the need for a diplomatic dimension to ending the conflict, saying, “There is an opportunity not to be missed to create an alliance of interests with the moderate camp that includes Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority to strangle terrorism and strive for peace.” In addition, Labour MK Shelly Yachimovich said that the ceasefire must be accompanied by an “active and courageous initiative toward a diplomatic agreement.”

Criticism was also levelled by Haim Yeilin, Mayor of the Eshkol region, which has been the target of unrelenting Gaza rocket fire. He said that he would call on local residents who have recently evacuated the area to return home only “When I feel that there is a true ceasefire,” adding, “I don’t care what they’re saying in the government.”