Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told freed hostage Nadav Popplewell during a meeting that it is "because of me that all the hostages are here," according to a single right-wing the source. The remark was reported without further context or official response from the minister's office.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told freed hostage Nadav Popplewell during a meeting that the return of the hostages is "because of me," according to a single right-wing the source. The claim, posted Sunday afternoon, has not been corroborated by any other source. The minister's office has not issued a response. The remark, if confirmed, would inject a politically charged personal claim into the already sensitive issue of hostage negotiations. No further details about the meeting — its time, location, or context — are available from the source.
4 developments
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- StrongReleased hostage Or Levi confronts Smotrich: 'You mean hostages were killed while you torpedoed deals'
- DevelopingBezalel Smotrich comments after new ceasefire violation in the North
- DevelopingSmotrich backs Lebanon deal, in apparent shift
Source and signal
- Internal intake