In the Finance Ministry, where former minister Avigdor Liberman hands over to his successor, Bezalel Smotrich, a ceremony is held with family members of the incoming minister on hand.
During the ceremony, Smotrich congratulates Liberman on some of his policies and calls himself a “free market man.”
He pledges to work for all of Israel’s citizens and adds, “I’m not sure that all of our steps will be popular but hopefully they will prove to be correct over time.”
Former finance minister Avigdor Liberman (left) hands over control of the ministry to his successor Bezalel Smotrich during a meeting on January 1, 2023 (courtesy)
Liberman, in turn, alludes to coalition deals signed by the incoming government that — despite fears of a looming recession — would increase welfare payouts for the ultra-Orthodox, many of whom don’t work.
“Without flour there can be no Torah, which is why you will need to produce a lot of flour in light of the demands of your partners [ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and UTJ],” he cautions.
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, January 1, 2023
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