Report: Smotrich threatened during cabinet meeting to bring down government

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a press conference at the Finance Ministry in Jerusalem on August 6, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a press conference at the Finance Ministry in Jerusalem on August 6, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reportedly threatened to bring down the government and force a new election during Thursday night’s cabinet meeting.

According to a report in the Kan public broadcaster, during the security cabinet meeting to discuss the future of operations in Gaza, Smotrich said “from my perspective we can stop everything and let the people decide.”

The coalition currently holds just 60 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, after the United Torah Judaism faction quit followed by far-right MK Avi Maoz several weeks ago. An election will only be triggered however if the parties agree to vote in the Knesset to bring down the government.

In an unusually sharp public criticism, Smotrich last night released a statement that he has “lost faith that the prime minister is able and wants to lead the IDF to a decisive victory.”

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