Netanyahu Faces a Political Crisis Over the Gaza Cease-Fire Deal

The Gaza cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas had yet to be ratified by Israel’s government on Thursday, but the battle over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future has already begun.

Hours after the deal was announced, Mr. Netanyahu was facing an internal rebellion from far-right partners in his governing coalition on whose support he depends to remain in power.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, the minister for national security, announced on Thursday night that his ultranationalist Jewish Power party would resign from Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition should the cabinet approve the cease-fire deal.

The move threatened to destabilize the government at a critical time even though it would not, in and of itself, prevent the Gaza deal from moving ahead. A majority in the cabinet is in favor of the cease-fire agreement, and it is expected to be approved even without the votes of Jewish Power and another far-right party in the coalition, Religious Zionism. Led by Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, Religious Zionism also vehemently opposes the deal.

Jewish Power holds six seats in the 120-seat Parliament, and if the party resigns, as promised, it would reduce the government’s parliamentary majority to a razor-thin majority of 62 from 68. Mr. Ben-Gvir said his party would offer to rejoin the government should it resume war against Hamas.

Mr. Smotrich, whose party holds seven seats, has threatened to quit the government at a later stage if Mr. Netanyahu proceeds from the first phase of the cease-fire agreement, which calls for a six-week truce, to a permanent one.