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.
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Stories...
Aug 27, 2026
Lean Left
Finance minister pushing settlement expansion and freezing Palestinian Authority funds, sparking security establishment pushback.
His policies are criticized as annexationist and economically reckless, deepening occupation and international isolation.
Aug 27, 2026
Far Left
Finance Minister Smotrich is pushing settlement budget increases and discriminatory land policies, drawing international rebuke.
Hadash condemns Smotrich's policies as apartheid-like, entrenching inequality and undermining any two-state solution.
Aug 26, 2026
Far Right
Backs demolition of the memorial but reprimands Sukkot for acting without authorization, insisting only the IDF should act.
Seen as trying to balance nationalist base demands with rule of law, facing criticism from those who want faster action.
Aug 26, 2026
Lean Left
Finance Minister advances settlement budget billions and confronts restrictions on settlement expansion.
Left condemns his annexation agenda and anti-democratic rhetoric, viewing him as a direct threat to the two-state solution.
Aug 26, 2026
Far Left
As Finance Minister, he is pushing settlement budgets and annexation efforts, including legalizing outposts.
Hadash condemns Smotrich's role in entrenching occupation and diverting state funds to settlers, worsening inequality.
Aug 25, 2026
Far Left
Finance Minister pushing settlement budgets and West Bank annexation measures.
Seen as a dangerous far-right ideologue whose policies entrench occupation and violate Palestinian rights.
Aug 25, 2026
Lean Left
Smotrich is using his finance portfolio to divert funds to settlements and overhaul the civil administration in the West Bank.
Labor/Meretz fault his creeping annexation and the hollowing out of the Palestinian Authority's fiscal basis.
Aug 24, 2026
Far Left
Smotrich is pushing for expanded settlement construction and legalization of outposts, threatening coalition stability.
Hadash condemns Smotrich's overt annexation agenda as a direct threat to any two-state solution and a driver of violence.
Aug 23, 2026
Center
Smotrich's settlement expansion plans are criticized as deliberately provocative, aimed at sparking conflict and making him a hero to anti-Zionist right-wingers.
Yesh Atid condemns these plans as reckless and destabilizing, endangering Israel's security and international relations for personal political gain.
Aug 23, 2026
Lean Left
Finance Minister authorizes new settlement outposts and advances annexation plans.
Criticized for using state budgets to entrench occupation, undermining peace prospects and two-state solution.