Fri Jan 24 11:58:53 IST 2025: **Netanyahu Faces Tightrope Walk as Gaza Ceasefire Creates Political Rift**

JERUSALEM, January 24, 2025 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is caught in a precarious political balancing act following a six-week Gaza ceasefire, facing pressure from both the US and his own far-right coalition. While US President Donald Trump seeks to leverage the ceasefire to advance Israel’s diplomatic ties in the region, particularly expanding the Abraham Accords to include Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu’s far-right allies are demanding a resumption of hostilities against Hamas.

The fragility of Netanyahu’s coalition was immediately evident when Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party withdrew from the government in protest of the ceasefire. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has threatened to follow suit unless a renewed, more aggressive military campaign against Gaza is launched after the initial six-week truce. Smotrich explicitly called for conquering Gaza and implementing military rule.

This internal conflict directly clashes with the US’s objectives. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who played a crucial role in brokering the ceasefire, is working to ensure a smooth transition to the second phase of negotiations, which aims to end the war. Witkoff’s active involvement signals continued US pressure on Netanyahu.

Netanyahu’s challenge extends beyond Gaza. While Trump and Netanyahu share the goal of bringing Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords, Saudi Arabia’s condition of Palestinian statehood creates a major hurdle given the opposition of figures like Smotrich within Netanyahu’s government.

Despite the internal and external pressures, an Israeli diplomatic official suggests progress with Saudi Arabia is possible by year’s end. However, the upcoming negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire are expected to be highly challenging. A recent poll indicates that around 70% of Israelis support the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Analysts predict a high likelihood of Netanyahu’s coalition collapsing sometime during 2025.

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