Smotrich and Religious Zionism: Promises vs. Reality

A review of promises made by Israeli politicians ahead of the 2022 elections reveals mixed results for Bezalel Smotrich and the Religious Zionism party. The assessment uses a simple scale: green for promises fulfilled, yellow for partially fulfilled, and red for unfulfilled.

In the realm of settlement, Religious Zionism is credited with significant progress. Smotrich, wielding considerable authority in the Defense Ministry, oversaw the advancement of tens of thousands of housing units, the recognition of settlements, and infrastructure development. The establishment of numerous outposts was also promoted, creating Israeli presence and hindering potential Palestinian territorial contiguity. However, high housing prices remain a concern, and not all approved units have been built or planned.

The promise to evacuate Khan al-Ahmar remains unfulfilled, with the decision resting beyond Smotrich's sole authority. Similarly, while the party advocated for sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, leading to de facto sovereignty through expanded settlements and altered governance, official annexation has not occurred. The amendment of the disengagement law concerning northern Samaria, however, was successfully implemented, paving the way for renewed settlement in the area.

Regarding Torah study, a foundational law was passed in July 2026, enshrining its status as a core value, though a controversial clause equating it with military service was omitted. Significant funding for Torah institutions was maintained. In Jewish identity, while a dedicated department was active and allocated budgets, key promises like a state conversion law and amending the grandparent clause in the Law of Return were not completed. The aspiration to elect a Religious Zionist chief rabbi also failed.

At the Western Wall, the party maintained its stance against changing its Orthodox character and against granting state status to non-Orthodox streams, though legislative efforts stalled. On the Temple Mount, an explicit promise to allow Jewish prayer was not officially implemented as full freedom of prayer. The status quo regarding Shabbat observance was largely maintained, with no state-sponsored public transportation on Saturdays, but a commitment to actively reduce non-essential commerce was not demonstrably met.

In Kashrut, the party successfully championed the cancellation of a previous government's reform that allowed private kashrut certifiers, returning primary authority to the Chief Rabbinate. The judicial system saw significant changes, including the judicial selection mechanism, but the original comprehensive plan was not fully realized.