Smotrich shouted off stage at conference of right-wing newspaper

• Published date: 16 April 2024
• Author: ELIAV BREUER
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

The incident was an indication of the lack of support for Smotrich in the right-wing camp. Smotrich, whose party currently has seven Knesset seats, has consistently failed in polls to pass the electoral threshold of 3.25% of the general vote

A number of people in the audience shouted that Smotrich should be "ashamed" because of the October 7 Hamas massacre and asked how he could "sleep at night" with 133 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza. At one point, a person in the audience was given a microphone.

She introduced herself as Gal Pahowitz from Kibbutz Dorot near Gaza. She asked Smotrich, "How are you sitting here with a pin to honor the hostages when you do not see the reality in which we are living, economically, security-wise, and regarding the hostages?"

Smotrich responded that he was not willing to return to the divisive reality of October 6 and would not respond. However, he then said that "there is some small extremist minority who are trying to lead Israeli society to divisiveness, evil, and hate."

"No buyers in Israeli society for hate"

He added that "there are no buyers in Israeli society for the hate that you are selling here." He then left the stage.

Smotrich later addressed the incident in a Facebook post. He repeated his commitment not to return to the discourse of October 6. Still, he added that "unfortunately, in...