Opposition leaders Lapid & Gantz reiterate offer of ‘safety net’ if gov’t decides to approve hostage deal

As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition weighs a ceasefire proposal that Hamas says it accepts, opposition leaders Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid on Wednesday renewed their offers to provide a political safety net for the move.

Netanyahu’s right-wing partners, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, have repeatedly threatened to leave the coalition if the Israeli government agrees to another ceasefire deal.

The prime minister is reportedly leaning against approving the deal but hasn’t publicly ruled it out. A final decision could be made during a Security Cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday evening.

Meanwhile, the two major opposition leaders, Blue and White party chairman Benny Gantz, and Yesh Atid party chairman Yair Lapid, have repeated their offers to support Netanyahu and prevent his coalition from breaking apart if he agrees to a deal that would free the hostages.

Blue and White even hinted it could join the government, after Kan News reported that such a move is being weighed behind the scenes.

Blue and White Knesset Member Alon Schuster told KAN Reshet Bet Radio on Wednesday, “Currently, there are no talks about joining the government, but if we understand that this is what will lead to the release of hostages, then that's what we will do. What do they expect? That we let the hostages die?”

אידיוט, ולא ממש שימושי - הוא מי ששונא את ביבי יותר משהוא רוצה להחזיר את החטופים. pic.twitter.com/k8xDDedl58

— כחול לבן (@Kachollavan19) August 21, 2025

On Thursday, the party’s official 𝕏 account responded to an opinion article calling it “Netanyahu’s useful idiots” by noting that “An idiot, and not really a useful one, is someone who hates Bibi more than they want to bring back the hostages.”

Earlier this week, Gantz wrote on 𝕏: “The government has a clear majority and a wide safety net to bring back the hostages.”

“Netanyahu, this is not a time to hesitate - this is a time for making the right decisions for the people of Israel and Israel's security,” he added.

Gantz’s eight Knesset seats could substitute for Smotrich’s 6-seat Religious Zionism party or Ben Gvir’s 7-seat Jewish Power party – but not both.

When asked about the possibility of Gantz joining the government on Thursday, Yair Lapid replied: “Let me remind you that Netanyahu already has a safety net from me – 24 votes – for any hostage deal. He doesn’t even need to give anything in return, just bring them home.”

Lapid’s offer to provide a “safety net” doesn’t refer to the possibility of him joining the government but rather to supporting it in a potential vote over a hostage deal.

Meanwhile, Israel Beitenu party chairman Avigdor Liberman, the only hawkish member of the opposition, continued to sharply criticize the government and accused Netanyahu of sacrificing the hostages “on the altar of preserving his coalition.”

“That’s his pattern of behavior,” Liberman alleged. “There are many initiatives, but the State of Israel isn’t initiating anything. Between the integrity of the coalition and the well-being of the hostages, the coalition is far more important to the Prime Minister.”

“This is also true regarding the conquest of Gaza. In the end, Netanyahu doesn’t want to defeat Hamas. He doesn’t want to bring them down. Even his own Finance Minister, who also serves in the Defense Ministry, said he’s lost faith in the Prime Minister – that he neither wants nor is capable of leading the IDF to a decisive victory. There is no intention to defeat Hamas.”

Liberman concluded: “There’s no doubt that the Prime Minister of October 7 does not want to end the war. He’s incapable of uttering the words ‘end of war,’ because that would unravel his coalition. Smotrich and Ben Gvir want an endless war.”