Finance Minister Smotrich's Visit to Kibbutz Be'eri Canceled Amid Local Opposition

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's planned visit to Kibbutz Be'eri on Monday was canceled due to strong opposition from residents. The cancellation, revealed here for the first time, followed demands from families of victims of the October 7 attacks who urged the kibbutz leadership to bar Smotrich's arrival because of his controversial statements. Smotrich intended to visit Be'eri and Nir Oz as part of a tour of Gaza border communities to assess rehabilitation efforts and hear about local needs. The tour was to culminate with a cornerstone-laying ceremony for a new neighborhood in Kibbutz Ein HaShlosha, which is still scheduled to proceed.

Upon learning of the planned visit, some kibbutz residents contacted the local council and leadership demanding an immediate cancellation. One resident told Walla News that the visit was opposed due to Smotrich's remarks, specifically his claim in a podcast with Nadav Perry that all hostages who returned to Israel did so thanks to him. Smotrich asserted that without his insistence on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, negotiations with Hamas would still be ongoing. These comments sparked public outrage, especially since Smotrich himself had twice voted against prisoner exchange frameworks, some of which involved hostages who were later killed in captivity.

Hostage survivor Or Levy responded harshly to Smotrich's statements, writing, "If it were up to you, we would not have returned until today. For you, we are collateral damage to your madness. Bezalel Smotrich, you are a disgrace as a minister, citizen, and human being." Levy's partner, Ziv Avod, also expressed disbelief at Smotrich's remarks. The Finance Ministry declined to comment on the matter. The incident highlights ongoing tensions surrounding the handling of hostage negotiations and rehabilitation in communities affected by the October 7 attacks.