Gov't's Response To Gaza Violence Flare-Up Sparks Tensions In Israel's Right-Wing Coalition

Members of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party led by Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced that they would boycott the Knesset votes taking place today over the government's "feeble" response to the latest flare-up in violence across the Gaza Strip.

• "In light of the feeble overnight response, the Otzma Yehudit faction has decided not to attend Knesset votes today, and will conduct a special faction meeting in the city of Sderot [near the border with Gaza]," the Times of Israel cites the party as saying.
• The boycott by six Otzma Yehudit lawmakers reduces the coalition's presence in parliament to 58, leaving it with an advantage of just two votes over the opposition. This means that the coalition will retain the ability to pass legislation today, but resurfacing tensions may have longer-term implications.
• During a midday interview on Kan Network B, Otzma Yehudit's Yitzhak Kreuzer reiterated criticism of Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over his response to the violence in Gaza and threatened that his party "may have to boycott the votes" until they see a change to Israel's security policies.
• This comes as Israel agreed to a truce with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad after the past day saw a flare-up in violence in the Gaza Strip following the death of an imprisoned Palestinian hunger striker. Al Jazeera reported that the ceasefire was brokered by negotiators from Qatar, Egypt and the United Nations.
• The IDF said this morning that 104 projectiles were fired from the Gaza Strip, with the Iron Dome system intercepting 90% of rockets heading for populated areas. The army retaliated by striking 16 targets belonging to the Islamic Jihad and Hamas across the Gaza Strip.