Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has withdrawn a threat to quit the government if Israel does not return to fighting in Gaza, several Israeli news sites reported, according to Reuters.
Smotrich stopped short of resigning but said if Israel agreed to a full end to the conflict before achieving its aims in Gaza — which include the complete destruction of Hamas — he and his party, Religious Zionism, would also leave the coalition.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Smotrich to stay in the coalition to keep the right-wing government intact and the finance minister agreed, Israel’s Yediot reported.