Minister Ofir Sofer Denies Split Rumors in Religious Zionism Party: 'Fake News'

Minister of Aliyah and Absorption Ofir Sofer responded publicly Thursday evening to reports and rumors circulating in the political system about tensions and internal rifts within the Religious Zionism party, making it clear that the party is united. "Minister Smotrich and I have worked together in partnership for years," Sofer wrote on his social media accounts, in an attempt to refute the rumors of a split at the top. "Even when there are disagreements, we handle them within the house. The Religious Zionism faction will not split. Ignore fake news."

Background: concern over a draft law revolt

Sofer's firm response comes against the backdrop of reports that party chairman and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is deeply worried about a scenario in which three members of his faction decide to break away from it, a political move that directly affects his public statements on the draft law and the Basic Law on Torah study. According to sources inside the party, Smotrich and those close to him are well aware that the positions presented by Minister Ofir Sofer and MK Moshe Solomon on these two sensitive issues are different and more complex than the party's official and rigid line. The major concern behind the scenes was that the two would manage to recruit a third MK from the faction, which would allow them to split legally, but, as noted, Sofer quickly clarified that this was fake news and that the disagreements would remain behind closed doors.