The Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, threatened on Monday, June 3, 2024, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with withdrawing from the government if the latter accepts the prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian factions, revealed by U.S. President Joe Biden, concurrently demanding the occupying government to launch a war on the cities of the West Bank and a deadly attack in Lebanon.

This came in a speech delivered by Smotrich, the head of the extremist "Religious Zionism" party, a partner in the government coalition, on Monday, in front of families of soldiers and civilians killed in the war on Gaza since October 7, 2023.

Smotrich said: "The behavior of the war council is a failure and dangerous, repeatedly making the same mistakes, repeatedly surrendering to (Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya) Sinwar, repeatedly abandoning red lines, and humiliating the State of Israel; and the result once again is that Hamas insists on its position."

He went on to say: "Our hearts are with the families of the kidnapped (Israeli prisoners in Gaza), we embrace them, and we are committed to bringing them all back to their homeland."

The minister's remarks come after three days of Biden's announcement on Friday evening about an "Israeli proposal" consisting of three phases, including a sustainable ceasefire, a prisoner exchange between Israel and the Palestinian factions, and the reconstruction of Gaza.

He added: "The last few months have proven to all of us that the way there (to return the prisoners) is not through empty talks with Sinwar, but only through increasing military pressure and gunfire until Hamas surrenders."

He also added: "I had previously stated months ago that it was a mistake to send heads of security agencies to Egypt and Qatar to reach a surrender deal instead of pursuing Hamas leaders in Gaza and anywhere else in the world and eliminating them."

The minister continued: "The dangerous proposal mentioned by President Biden was presented by the war council without authority and in violation of the law, and it does not bind the government or the State of Israel."

He threatened, saying: "We will not be part of the government if it decides to accept this surrender offer, and we will work to replace the failed leadership with a new one that knows how to make decisions and win the war, destroy Hamas, bring the kidnapped back to their homeland, cause severe damage to Hezbollah, and return the northern residents to their homes safely."