Far-right Knesset Member Amit Halevi strongly criticized the White House and its National Security Spokesperson John Kirby, accusing them of misleading the public and compromising "Israel's security". Halevi's remarks came in response to Kirby's condemnation of Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has voiced opposition to the proposed deal with Hamas.

Halevi asserted that "it is John Kirby, speaking on behalf of the White House, not Minister Smotrich, who is misleading the public and putting Israel's security at risk, despite the friendship between our two countries."

He further accused Kirby of exerting "extreme pressure" on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to compromise on "Israel's core security principles". According to Halevi, Kirby's meddling has already swayed both the Chief of Staff and the head of the Shin Bet.

Halevi warned that Kirby's support for the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Philadelphi Corridor would "directly lead to the next massacre and kidnapping of children in Nir Oz and Beeri, and result in an effective defeat in the war against Hamas."

Halevi continued his sharp critique, claiming that Kirby "has, in violation of all norms between friendly nations, imposed sanctions on Israeli citizens and enforced an arms embargo on Israel over the past six months."

"This blatant interference in our national security decisions is not how a nation that enshrines the promise of liberty in its constitution should behave," he further stressed.

Smotrich: 'US must respect Israeli democracy'

In the same context, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded Saturday to harsh criticism from the White House, following accusations from National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby that Smotrich is willing to sacrifice the lives of the Israeli and US captives in Gaza.

In a post on X, Smotrich wrote, “I respect the US stance and thank it for its support of Israel in the face of regional threats, but I expect it to respect Israeli democracy and the stance of the Israeli citizens and its elected officials in relation to decisions that will affect the country’s security.”

“Just as the US would have rejected international pressure to reach a surrender agreement with al-Qaeda and Bin Laden, so Israel will not surrender to any external pressure that will cause harm to Israel’s security,” he added.

He went on to argue that "a surrender agreement with Yahya Sinwar, which abandons most of the hostages to death, releases numerous killers, returns terrorists to northern Gaza, relinquishes control of the borders, and allows Hamas to smuggle weapons and rebuild its strength to attack Israel again as Iran's proxy, is detrimental to Israel and endangers its security."

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“No criticism and no attack will divert me from the goal,” he stressed.

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Why it matters

The Biden administration has made it clear that it will not allow "extremists," including Israelis, to derail ongoing Gaza ceasefire negotiations, White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby announced on Friday following "misinformation" by far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Smotrich has recently claimed that a ceasefire deal would amount to a surrender to Hamas and argued against the exchange of prisoners. Kirby refuted these assertions, describing them as "dead wrong" and misleading to the Israeli public, as well as, accusing him of endangering the lives of Israeli captives.

"We've seen some statements from some quarters in Israel over recent days attacking the deal. I just want to underscore how long this is, not only in substance, but also jeopardizing the lives of the hostages, and running cattle to Israel's own national security interests," Kirby told reporters.

He claimed that the United States, along with its allies, has been working tirelessly for months to broker a so-called "ceasefire-for-hostages" agreement, facing persistent challenges from both the Israeli occupation and Hama.s.

According to US officials, the latest proposal represents the most promising opportunity to secure the release of women, sick, and elderly captives held by Hamas in Gaza since October 7. In return, the deal would require at least a six-week ceasefire.

"We want to get a deal. We believe that it's possible to do that... But it's going to require some leadership on all sides here and some compromises," Kirby told reporters, underlining the urgency of the situation.

Officials from the United States, Egypt, and Qatar issued a joint statement on Thursday, calling on the Israeli occupation and Hamas to engage in negotiations set for August 15. The talks are expected to take place in either Doha or Cairo.

The statement came almost a week after the Israeli regime assassinated Hamas' political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran; the leader of the movement's negotiations team. Additionally, "Israel" targeted a residential building in Beirut, killing five civilians – three women and two children – and a top Hezbollah military leader, Sayyed Fouad Shokor.

"It is time, immediately, to put an end to the long-standing suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip, as well as the hostages and their families. It is time to finalize a ceasefire agreement and release the hostages and detainees," the joint statement read.

The three officials claimed that a framework agreement is ready and that all it needs to be finalized is to agree on implementation details.

Kirby specifically addressed critics like Smotrich, who argue that the proposed agreement constitutes a surrender to Hamas or that captives should not be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. "His arguments are dead wrong," Kirby stated.

It is worth noting that the US has been considered complicit in the Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, as it has supported "Israel" by vetoing ceasefire resolutions at the UN several times, asserting "Israel's right to defend itself." The US has also provided unwavering funding and weapons over the past ten months.

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