Bezalel Smotrich
Bezalel Yoel Smotrich is an Israeli politician and lawyer who has served as the Minister of Finance since 2022. The leader of the Religious Zionist Party, he previously served as a Knesset member for the Jewish Home and Yamina, leaving in 2023 after resigning under the Norwegian Law, allowing him to remain a minister in the government while his seat in the Knesset could be taken by another candidate from his party.
Standing...
Stories...
Jul 10, 2026
Far Left
Smotrich is using his authority as finance minister to fast-track settlement expansion and defund the Palestinian Authority.
Hadash criticizes Smotrich for openly annexing the West Bank and undermining any two-state solution.
Jul 9, 2026
Far Left
Smotrich just announced a new settlement expansion plan in the West Bank, drawing international condemnation.
Hadash condemns Smotrich as a far-right extremist using the war to entrench the occupation.
Jul 9, 2026
Center
The Finance Minister claimed in an interview that the coalition is the most democratic group in Israel and blamed the Supreme Court for a manufactured crisis.
Yesh Atid criticizes Smotrich's rhetoric as misleading and as cover for the government's anti-democratic actions.
Jul 9, 2026
Lean Left
Smotrich, as Finance Minister, redirects funds to settlements and restricts Arab budgets.
Labour-Meretz criticizes him for entrenching occupation and discriminatory budget cuts.
Jul 9, 2026
Far Left
Smotrich is pushing legislation to legalize dozens of illegal outposts in the West Bank.
Hadash sees Smotrich as the architect of de facto annexation, undermining international law and Palestinian rights.
Jul 7, 2026
Lean Left
Finance Minister advancing settlement expansion and budget cuts to social programs.
Seen as an extremist whose policies deepen occupation and hurt Israel's economy and international standing.
Jul 7, 2026
Far Left
Finance Minister Smotrich is pushing budget funds for thousands of new settlement homes and opposing any Palestinian Authority role in Gaza.
Hadash denounces Smotrich as a supremacist whose policies deliberately stoke conflict and entrench occupation, driving the region toward apartheid.
Jul 6, 2026
Lean Left
Smotrich as Finance Minister advances de facto annexation and withholds funds from Palestinian Authority.
The left condemns his messianic vision and direct role in entrenching the occupation and starving Palestinian institutions.
Jul 6, 2026
Lean Left
Smotrich announced plans for thousands of new settlement units in the West Bank, defying US warnings.
Labor/Meretz condemn this as a direct obstacle to a two-state solution and a violation of international law, fueling conflict.
Jul 6, 2026
Far Left
Smotrich transfers authority to legalize outposts and seizes Palestinian land for settlers.
Hadash sees his annexationist agenda as a direct assault on international law and peace.