Bezalel Smotrich: Ideologue Shaping Israeli Right and Finance Policy
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's Minister of Finance and a key ideologue of the religious right, has promoted settlement expansion and Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. His controversial statements and policies, including advocating for continued war in Gaza and settlement in the enclave, have drawn international criticism and sanctions. Facing political challenges and competition from rivals like Itamar Ben Gvir and Ofer Winter, Smotrich's electoral prospects for the October 2026 elections are uncertain.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's Finance Minister, is a leading ideologue of the religious right.
- He advocates for settlement expansion and Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.
- Smotrich's controversial remarks and policies have led to international sanctions and travel bans.
- He supports continuing the Gaza war and re-establishing settlements there.
- Smotrich faces political uncertainty and competition from rivals ahead of the 2026 elections.
Bezalel Smotrich, born in 1980 on the Golan Heights, has risen from a religious Zionist background to become a prominent figure in Israel's nationalist religious right and the current Minister of Finance. After studying in rabbinical institutions and law, he became involved in the settlement movement, opposing the 2005 Gaza disengagement. He was briefly detained in 2005 on suspicion of planning violent actions to prevent the evacuation but was never charged.
Elected to the Knesset in 2015, Smotrich became a leading voice for the religious right. He served as Minister of Transport in 2019 and later led the Religious Zionist Party. His 2022 electoral alliance with Itamar Ben Gvir was instrumental in Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc's victory. As Finance Minister since December 2022, he also gained significant authority over civil administration in Judea and Samaria, which he has used to promote settlement expansion and Israeli control.
Smotrich advocates for Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria and opposes a Palestinian state. His statements have frequently caused controversy, including a 2023 remark suggesting the Palestinian village of Huwara should be "erased," a comment he later retracted. Several Western nations have sanctioned him or banned him from entry.
Following the October 7, 2023 attacks, Smotrich has supported continuing the war in Gaza until Hamas is eliminated, opposing ceasefire agreements and advocating for the return of Israeli settlements to Gaza and the departure of its Palestinian population, framed as voluntary. These positions have drawn strong international condemnation, with France notably barring him entry due to his role in settlement expansion and violence in the West Bank.
Economically, his tenure as Finance Minister has been impacted by the war's costs, increased military spending, and state budget pressures. Critics accuse him of prioritizing ideological goals over economic concerns. Ahead of the October 2026 elections, Smotrich is working to consolidate his support base, forming an alliance with Moshe Feiglin and attempting to persuade Ofer Winter to withdraw his candidacy. However, his political future appears uncertain, with polls showing him weakened and facing competition from Ben Gvir and Winter, potentially jeopardizing his ability to cross the electoral threshold.
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