Bezalel Smotrich

Religious Zionism accuses Minister Amichai Eliyahu of orchestrating a smear campaign via false SMS messages against Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Ministry of Health Director-General Moshe Bar Siman-Tov urged the Finance Ministry to exempt the healthcare system from a planned 3.5 billion shekel budget cut, warning of severe consequences for public services.

Housing Minister Haim Katz extended Yehuda Eliyahu's tenure as acting director of the Israel Land Authority following Prime Minister Netanyahu's intervention, bypassing legal term limits ahead of elections.

Rabbi Dov Landau harshly criticized Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich over remarks calling ultra-Orthodox Jews ungrateful to God, urging a vote for United Torah Judaism.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi responded Wednesday to Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's remarks regarding the Sinai Peninsula, stressing that Egypt defended its soil and has no territorial ambitions.

Intense talks are reportedly underway between Religious Zionism and Motti Leitner's party over a potential withdrawal, with guarantees offered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced plans for a 2.6 billion shekel defense cut, drawing from civilian budgets amid ongoing tensions over the 2026 defense funding.

Tali Deri of the Amech Yisrael party condemned intense harassment and pressure aimed at forcing her party out of the Knesset race, following the resignation of deputy Samaria council head Davidi Ben Zion.

Over 300 experts urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to freeze Amendment 5 to National Master Plan 35, warning it threatens Negev and Galilee development.

Davidi Ben Zion, a senior candidate in Ofer Winter's "Am Yisrael" party, has resigned from the electoral list amid severe political pressure and declining poll numbers.

The Israel Land Authority faces a severe leadership crisis as interim director Yehuda Eliyahu's term expires. Legal limits block extensions, threatening housing supply.

Israel's first Democracy Festival at BIG FASHION Glilot brings together political leaders from across the spectrum for open public debates ahead of the upcoming elections.

Likud and Religious Zionism are strengthening their political alliance ahead of the upcoming elections, launching a joint field operation and vote-surplus agreement while isolating National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

The Israel Diamond Exchange and the Tax Authority signed a historic tax agreement for 2027-2028, aiming to restore Israel's global competitiveness against Antwerp and Dubai.

Zehut party leader Moshe Feiglin declared he would close the Ministry of Education and two-thirds of government portfolios if elected, sparking debate ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich launched the right-wing election ground campaign at a major emergency conference in Jerusalem.

Likud officials explained that Itamar Ben Gvir was excluded from a right-wing voter mobilization campaign due to a lack of rabbinical infrastructure, sparking political debate.

Supreme Court Justice Noam Solberg ordered Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to remove campaign posts featuring children, ruling it violates election laws.

Senior defense officials accuse Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of sabotaging a critical Apache helicopter procurement deal, endangering national security.

Following gasoline excise cuts, the Manufacturers Association of Israel demands that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich extend the tax relief to diesel fuel.

Global oil prices surged past $101 per barrel on Wednesday due to Middle East tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and storm threats. Governments in the US and Israel weigh tax cuts to ease consumer burdens.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bezalel Smotrich are organizing a joint right-wing campaign conference, excluding Itamar Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party.

MK Yousef Jabareen announced that his party would support post-election legislation preventing indicted individuals from forming a government, aligning with opposition strategies.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for permanent sovereignty over captured territories in Gaza and Lebanon, voluntary emigration for Gazans, and renewed independence from the US.

Likud and Religious Zionism signed a surplus vote agreement three weeks before the Israeli Knesset elections, leaving Otzma Yehudit isolated while opposition parties previously finalized their alliances.

Comments by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich regarding Sinai drew sharp reactions and threats in Egyptian media, though context shows it was a hypothetical response.

Tesla's FSD autonomous driving rollout in Israel faces regulatory delays over tax classifications, with podcaster Tamir Dortal criticizing the Ministry of Finance.

Right-wing podcaster Tamir Dortal admitted meeting a professor accused of plotting attacks against Arabs without reporting it, calling it a lapse in judgment.

Central Election Committee head Noam Solberg ruled that housing benefit posts for reservists by Netanyahu and ministers constituted illegal election propaganda.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reduced fuel prices by 50 agorot per liter to 7.77 NIS, bringing the total reduction to one shekel amid budget concerns.

Renovation works have begun at the Herodian pools in the Jordan Valley with a 3 million shekel investment, spearheaded by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to preserve and develop the historic site.

Thousands across Israel celebrated Hakafot Shniyot after Simchat Torah, with crowded events in Sderot, Tel Aviv, and the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Tension erupted in the Galilee after the Misgav Regional Council advised Jewish residents to stay home during Simchat Torah due to nearby protests, drawing sharp criticism from locals and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Yair Golan stated that Arab-Jewish partnership in the government is positive, prompting sharp criticism from Avigdor Lieberman, Likud, and Bezalel Smotrich regarding a potential left-wing coalition.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara approved a fuel excise tax reduction, lowering gasoline prices by 0.50 NIS per liter starting Sunday night after prices hit a record 8.27 NIS.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared that those behind the attempted hijacking of a FlyDubai plane carrying Israelis must face full accountability, following passengers' heroic intervention.

Israel's Ministry of Finance strongly advises against imposing targeted taxes on artificial intelligence, warning that such levies would harm economic growth, technological development, and high-tech competitiveness.

Saudi Arabia has restored oil exports to 6 million barrels per day despite regional chokepoint blockades, as rising shipping rates and US strikes help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

An investigation by Fake Reporter reveals that Itamar Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party is using over 100 AI bots to manipulate social media discourse and attack political rivals ahead of the elections.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich after he called for a broad campaign in the West Bank and the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority.

The decision to delay the E1 tender deadline until after elections has sparked fierce political backlash, with coalition ministers accusing the Attorney General of election interference.

The government's legal counsel has delayed the E1 housing tender deadline past the upcoming elections, sparking fierce opposition from Ma'ale Adumim's mayor and government officials.

Moshe Feiglin criticized the disqualification of Knesset election lists, arguing that legal violations should be handled through criminal law rather than political bans.

The IDF is deploying the elite 98th Division to the West Bank in an unprecedented operational restructuring not seen since 2002, aiming to bolster command and control amid rising security tensions.

Israel launches a 35 million shekel pilot offering state compensation for businesses and farmers suffering property damage after refusing extortion demands.

Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman sparked controversy by suggesting Jordan should rule the West Bank, later clarifying he meant only Areas A and B.

Twelve families moved to the new settlement of Mtzoukei Eretz in the eastern Binyamin region on Wednesday, as Israeli ministers pledged continued expansion despite international criticism.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a secret meeting with Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich to coordinate political strategy and counter Ofer Winter ahead of the elections.

Likud officials are urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reconsider a surplus-vote agreement, weighing options between Bezalel Smotrich and Ofer Winter's new party ahead of the Knesset elections.

The Attorney General opposes resuming the ILA director general appointment process for Bezalel Smotrich's associate, Yehuda Eliah, citing severe conflicts of interest and election-period restrictions.