Bezalel Smotrich

Housing Minister Chaim Katz summoned acting Israel Land Authority director Yehuda Eliyahu to a disciplinary hearing amid professional disputes and ongoing legal scrutiny over his controversial appointment.

Renovations at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron concluded following Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's decision to revoke local municipal authority, ensuring the site is ready for the upcoming Rosh Hashanah prayers.

Minister Orit Strock registered under a separate shelf party during the Knesset election submissions, securing an additional 1.2 million shekels annually in state funding for Religious Zionism under the Party Financing Law.

Religious Zionism unveiled its final Knesset list after merging with Zehut, placing Orit Strock third and pushing MK Ohad Tal to 12th. Tal backed the merger, urging the national camp to unite.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced that Lt. Col. (res.) Itamar Eitam, a severely wounded Gaza veteran and educator, will join the Religious Zionism party list for the 26th Knesset.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Binyamin Council Head Yisrael Gantz announced a new 1,665-dunam blue line for Kida and Yishuv HaDa'at in Judea and Samaria, paving the way for over 1,000 housing units following their recent official recognition.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir demanded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar close the British Consulate in East Jerusalem and revoke diplomat visas following expected British sanctions against Israel.

The Jerusalem District Court has rejected an injunction to freeze the E1 construction plan for 1,234 housing units. The ruling coincides with expected British sanctions against Israel over its settlement policies.

The Israel Tax Authority announced that capital declarations must be submitted exclusively online starting January 1, 2027. Signed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the move aims to transition the agency to a paperless system.

A government team led by Yehuda Morgenstern recommends building a new ultra-Orthodox city named Plugot west of Kiryat Gat. The city will feature 45,000 housing units for 225,000 residents, prioritizing it over other planned southern towns.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded the immediate expulsion of the British ambassador ahead of expected UK sanctions targeting companies and individuals in Judea and Samaria.

Eliakim Stark, the 34-year-old newly appointed Belz representative on the Agudat Yisrael list, is transitioning from a discreet backroom mediator to an official Knesset candidate. Stark has long served as a key conduit between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and leading ultra-Orthodox rabbinical authorities.

Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich offered Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi a spot on his electoral list, which Davidi rejected. Meanwhile, Beer Sheva Mayor Rubik Danilovich declined a high-ranking offer to join the Likud party list.

Dozens of prominent religious Zionist rabbis and Likud officials have urged retired IDF General Ofer Winter to unite with Bezalel Smotrich, warning that an independent run risks wasting right-wing votes.

The Israeli government approved fast-track urban renewal for two complexes in Bat Yam damaged by a rocket strike on May 15, 2025. The project, led by Bezalel Smotrich, covers 24 buildings and over 420 homes.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir clashed with journalist Amit Segal at the Jerusalem Conference over prison conditions, political strategy, and his past support for Baruch Goldstein.

The price of 95-octane gasoline fell to NIS 7.75 per liter at midnight. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich signed the decree reducing the excise tax after overcoming legal hurdles.

With just three days left to submit candidate lists for the 26th Knesset, Israeli political parties are under immense pressure to merge or withdraw to avoid wasting thousands of votes below the 3.25% threshold.

At a major democracy conference, Israeli political leaders clashed over plans to reform the police force and combat soaring homicide rates, with opposition figures demanding the dismissal of Itamar Ben Gvir.

The Minister of Agriculture is bringing a strategic plan until 2050 to the government for approval, but the Treasury warns of a "targeted assassination" of the agricultural reform, the burial of competition, and an immediate rise in prices. Dichter responds: "The Treasury's opposition is baseless."

Gadi Eisenkot maintains the lead, Benjamin Netanyahu maintains stability, and the union between Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin garners 5 mandates. Will this trend hold until the party lists are finalized?

A Ynet and "Yedioth Ahronoth" poll reveals that despite criticism over ultra-Orthodox military exemptions, the majority of the religious-Zionist public remains loyal to coalition parties. Bezalel Smotrich leads in support, while Naftali Bennett’s popularity has significantly declined.

A significant development for the settlement movement in Judea and Samaria. As part of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's settlement policy, the Ministry of Interior has granted official settlement codes to four additional communities, establishing their status as full-fledged settlements in Israel.

Minister of Finance and Religious Zionism party chairman Bezalel Smotrich stated that the army will have to disarm Palestinian areas in Judea and Samaria, warning that the proliferation of illegal weapons poses a major security threat.

Israel's banking system is facing a major crisis regarding financial cooperation with the Palestinian Authority. Findings published by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich prove that the Authority's official banks serve as conduits for transferring funds to terrorists and their families.

Despite the failure to reach an agreement with Damascus, communication channels remain open. At the same time, Israel identifies a decrease in settler violence and an increase in enforcement: "We definitely see the damage caused as a result of this"

The Ma'ale Arugot settlement was officially inaugurated at an event attended by ministers, Knesset members, settlement leaders, and residents. The settlement is located at a point connecting the west of Gush Etzion to its east, and the regional council defines its establishment as a significant move to connect the parts of the bloc.

Negotiations between the two parties have concluded with a final agreement. The deal includes the formation of a technical block and allocates three spots in the top ten for Feiglin's representatives. Sources involved in the talks describe the process as "pleasant and efficient," noting that there are no significant disputes at this stage.

Ongoing disinflation and the strength of the shekel, despite a sharp rise in fuel prices, have led the Monetary Committee to decide on a further reduction in the base interest rate.

The Samaria Regional Council reported that over 25,000 students began the school year this Tuesday. The education system, which includes 28 elementary schools, 11 high schools, and 168 kindergartens, welcomed 1,440 first-graders. This year, the council is opening four new high schools and eight kindergartens, six of which were established in new settlements in northern Samaria.

In the village of Qusra, located in Area B, Jewish rioters arrive on weekends and attack Palestinian residents. Despite condemnations by the Prime Minister and an increased alert level, incidents repeat without arrests. Ynet military correspondent Elisha Ben Kimon explains why Qusra has become a flashpoint.

Likud and Yashar are leading this week in the use of artificial intelligence in election propaganda, but small parties are also discovering the potential of the new tools. At the same time, two videos suspected of using AI have already reached the Central Elections Committee and were removed. "The AI behind the elections" - a new column.

An additional 370 dunams have been declared state land, bringing the total area allocated for the city of Mishmar Yehuda to 3,750 dunams. Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that the move will provide a solution to the housing crisis for tens of thousands of young couples.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich addressed the controversy surrounding Givati soldiers who refused to board an armored personnel carrier with a female paramedic, declaring his support for the soldiers. He stated that they were upholding their religious values and announced his intention to demand answers from the IDF regarding the disciplinary actions taken.

The chairman of the Religious Zionism party backed 16 Givati Brigade soldiers who refused to board an Namer APC after learning she would join them: "They insisted on their right and duty to serve while maintaining their values and faith." He declared he would intervene after the IDF announced they would be sent to military prison: "I hoped the army would come to its senses."

The move to reduce the excise tax could cost the state treasury hundreds of millions of shekels. The Ministry of Finance is awaiting the Attorney General's decision on the feasibility of the move or whether it will be disqualified on the grounds of 'election economics'.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has ordered a reduction in fuel excise tax to prevent a price hike. Experts criticize the move as election-year populism that will cost the state hundreds of millions of shekels.

Against the backdrop of fears regarding a sharp rise in fuel prices due to the blockade on Iran, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich will sign a special order to reduce the excise tax. The goal is to lower costs for consumers as early as this week.

After calling on Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to unite with Smotrich ahead of the upcoming elections due to fears of losing votes in the right-wing bloc, the Prime Minister will be a guest tonight on the TV show "The Patriots" on Channel 14.

With ten days left until the finalization of the 2026 election lists, political parties are navigating critical decisions regarding mergers, reserved spots, and candidacy. Key uncertainties include Netanyahu's strategy, the future of Ra'am, Gantz's next move, and the potential for last-minute political 'stars'.

Ofer Winter's entry into the arena shuffled the deck, and polls left the Religious Zionism party out of the Knesset. Netanyahu invited Smotrich and Ben Gvir to a meeting, but the latter refused to attend. Possible mergers are expected to be finalized at the last minute.

As negotiations progress, Moshe Feiglin is on his way to the second spot on a joint list with the Religious Zionism party. At the same time, Otzma Yehudit flatly rejects a merger, and Itamar Ben Gvir attacks the Prime Minister: "I should remind you, I am not Benny Gantz." Yair Netanyahu and Almog Cohen fired back: "You were about to bring down the government yourself."

Following reports of contacts between Smotrich and Feiglin, the Minister of National Security attacked this evening, claiming that the public call for unity with him was intended to exert pressure in negotiations. This comes after he rejected the proposal for a joint run with the Religious Zionism party over the weekend.

According to the latest polls, both the National Unity party led by Benny Gantz and the Religious Zionism party led by Bezalel Smotrich are not passing the electoral threshold, but they will receive election funding advances in the millions of shekels.

The Likud MK backed the Otzma Yehudit chairman's refusal to unite with Smotrich and called on the Religious Zionism chairman to join Winter or Feiglin. The Prime Minister's son responded sharply: "He is playing Russian roulette with the fate of the country."

Representatives of the "Religious Zionism" and "Zehut" parties held talks over the past week in an attempt to reach an agreement on running together. As part of the emerging agreement, Feiglin would receive a high spot on the list. The move began to take shape even before Benjamin Netanyahu's pressure on Smotrich.

After refusing Netanyahu's call to unite with Smotrich, the ruling party published a sharp statement: "He wants a government that will establish a Palestinian state and close Channel 14"

Netanyahu returned to yesterday's call and announced that he would invite both party leaders to meet with him on Sunday: "We must unite." Ben Gvir responded quickly with a firm statement: "The parties will not run together, this is a final decision." In Otzma Yehudit, they claim they learned about the invitation through the social network.

Palestinian workers are no longer here and the industry is far from recovering. Restaurateur Ilan Zagdon says in an interview with Globes that he promoted a plan with Finance Minister Smotrich that will bring thousands more foreign workers: "The best restaurateurs have become dishwashers." But not everyone is impressed: "It's a joke. It's not even a band-aid," says restaurateur Bernardo Belhovich.

At a meeting between the Prime Minister and the chairman of Otzma Yehudit, Netanyahu demanded a merger with Smotrich, but Ben Gvir presented in-depth polls showing that the move would harm his electoral potential. Ben Gvir suggested including the chairman of Religious Zionism on the Likud list, but Netanyahu opposed it, arguing that the move could also harm his own party.