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...
Sep 6, 2026
Far Left
Finance Minister uses budget to fund settlement outposts and discriminate against Arab communities.
Hadash condemns Smotrich's apartheid policies and his efforts to entrench occupation.
Sep 5, 2026
Lean Left
Finance minister uses his power to approve settlement outposts and defund Palestinian local councils.
He embodies the annexationist agenda that Labor/Meretz warns will cement occupation and destroy two-state prospects.
Sep 4, 2026
Center
Supported by 30% of National Religious voters despite coalition tensions, while his party's dominance over that sector remains unchallenged.
Smotrich's continued support demonstrates the religious-right's resilience, which Yesh Atid views as an obstacle to building a broad secular-religious coalition.
Sep 4, 2026
Far Left
Finance Minister Smotrich is advancing budget lines that fund settlement outposts and slash welfare programs.
Hadash accuses Smotrich of using state funds to entrench occupation and deepen socio-economic gaps, hitting Palestinian and working-class Israelis hardest.
Sep 3, 2026
Far Right
Finance Minister and Religious Zionism leader claims the IDF Chief of Staff overruled brigade commanders and demanded severe punishment for Givati soldiers.
Seen as a defender of soldiers against an overly harsh military justice system, reinforcing his role as a champion of the nationalist camp.
Sep 3, 2026
Center
At the conference, called to unite the right under Likud, vowed to purge post-Zionists from Israel Lands Authority, and push Judaization of the Galilee.
His radical agenda and drift from Likud alarm Yesh Atid as they threaten democratic norms and Israel's pluralistic character.
Sep 3, 2026
Far Left
Smotrich uses his finance ministry powers to divert funds to settlements and curb Arab local budgets.
Hadash denounces his discriminatory budget policies as institutionalized racism against Palestinian citizens.
Sep 2, 2026
Lean Left
Pushing settlement expansion and controlling West Bank civil administration, sparking international rebukes.
His annexationist agenda is a direct threat to a two-state solution, a core value for Labor/Meretz.
Sep 2, 2026
Far Left
The finance minister is using budget powers to fund settlements and crack down on Palestinian construction, igniting international criticism.
Hadash condemns Smotrich's policies as a direct assault on Palestinian land and livelihoods, epitomizing the far-right's colonial agenda.
Sep 1, 2026
Lean Left
Smotrich now holds effective control over West Bank settlement planning and has pushed for legalization of outposts and increased settler violence.
Labor/Meretz sees Smotrich as the architect of de facto annexation and a direct threat to any two-state solution, marking him as the most dangerous minister in government.