"The United States would never give fuel to someone who holds its hostages," National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Sunday in an interview with 103FM. This comes following his criticism over the weekend of the war cabinet's decision to send diesel fuel to the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.
"We have to do everything to bring the hostages home," he said.
Ben-Gvir further expressed his dissatisfaction with war cabinet's existence, remarking, "It bothers me that, in the end, there is a thing called a war cabinet." Reflecting on past instances, he recalled being perceived as a "clown" when advocating for targeted countermeasures.
According to Ben-Gvir, regardless of the excuse given, fuel can potentially be used by Hamas for terrorism. He argued for alternative ways to distribute water, emphasizing that nothing should enter Gaza, especially not fuel. Ben-Gvir suggested conveying to the Americans that they should never provide fuel to someone holding their people hostage without knowledge of their situation.
"A gun can save a family, and an assault rifle can save an entire neighborhood. Weapons save lives."
Itamar Ben-Gvir
Ben-Gvir pushes to give more people licenses to carry guns
Addressing weapon license permits, he said, "I want to increase the number of permits to carry guns that get approved. Recent events have proven that a gun can save a family, and an assault rifle can save an entire neighborhood. Weapons save lives."
On the issue of the National Guard, Ben-Gvir said that those who stopped the process were working against him. He criticized elements within the government with incorrect conceptions and emphasized the importance of a more robust approach to security measures.
"Today, everyone is now aligned with my policies, and that's a good thing, but nine months ago, didn't they call me 'minister of pita?'" Ben-Gvir said, referring to the criticism levied against him for wanting to be harsher with prisoners, regular targeted countermeasures in Gaza, weapon distribution.