Bezalel Smotrich Tops Religious Zionism Party List After Primaries for 26th Knesset

The Religious Zionism party concluded its primary elections on July 26, finalizing its candidate list for the 26th Knesset. Bezalel Smotrich, the party chairman and Israel's Finance Minister, secured the top spot on the list. The primaries saw ten candidates competing for two or three realistic slots, with a high voter turnout of 98.5% by the close of voting.

Voting took place across three channels: in the morning at the party headquarters in Shoham, in the afternoon at the Ramada Hotel, and remotely for reservists and those with exceptional circumstances. Alongside the elected candidates, Smotrich will allocate reserved slots on the list, including two within the top ten, one specifically in third place. Zvika Mor, a recent party member who did not participate in the primaries, is expected to receive one of these reserved positions.

The final list includes Smotrich, Orit Strock, Simcha Rothman, Zvi Sukkot, Ohad Tal, Omer Rahamim, Michal Waldiger, Rabbi Shmuel Sasson, Tzvika Vishnegrad, Itam Tam, and Natan Zauberman. Candidates who ran in the primaries included current MKs and ministers such as Orit Strock and Michal Waldiger, as well as others like Simcha Rothman and Zvika Vishnegrad. Smotrich announced the results shortly after the polls closed, confirming the party's lineup for the upcoming elections.