Smotrich cancels visit to Kibbutz Be'eri following opposition by hostages' families, residents

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich canceled his planned visit to Kibbutz Be'eri on Monday following strong opposition from relatives of the 32 hostages held in Gaza who originate from the kibbutz. The families protested Smotrich's recent comments where he claimed a significant personal role in the efforts to bring about the return of hostages.

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This is what victory looks like.

The planned trip to Be'eri was part of a larger tour of new neighborhoods being constructed in Kibbutz Nir Oz, another Gaza border community devastated during the October 7 Hamas attack. Smotrich had described the visit to Nir Oz as meeting "new pioneers of the people of Israel" and stated, "This is what victory looks like." The tour was scheduled to conclude with a groundbreaking ceremony for a new neighborhood in Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha, which was expected to proceed as planned.

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I think that without me, the war in Gaza would have ended even before Rafah. Had I not drawn a red line at that moment and told Netanyahu, ‘there is no such thing,’ we would still be negotiating with Hamas over one more hostage and then another.

Some sources suggest the cancellation of the Be'eri visit may have been due to time constraints rather than the protests. However, Smotrich's controversial remarks came during an interview on Nadav Perry's podcast, where he asserted that "without me, the war in Gaza would have ended even before Rafah." He further claimed that had he not drawn a "red line" for Prime Minister Netanyahu, negotiations would still be ongoing for individual hostages.

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For you, we are nothing more than collateral damage of your trolling. I said it, and I will shout it: Bezalel Smotrich, you are a shame of a minister, a shame of a citizen and a shame of a person.

These statements drew sharp criticism from former hostages and their families. Or Levy, a former Gaza hostage, slammed Smotrich on Instagram, stating that if it were up to him, "we wouldn't have returned to this day." Levy called Smotrich "delusional" and a "shame of a minister, a shame of a citizen and a shame of a person." Ziv Aboud, the girlfriend of another former hostage, Eliya Cohen, responded to Levy's post, calling Smotrich's comments "simply delusional."

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Simply delusional, please don't say that.