Smotrich tells WSJ new government will make Israel like America

Far-right Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich, who is set to be finance minister in the incoming government, makes his pitch to the US public in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, saying controversial reforms proposed by the new government simply aim to make Israel more like America.

Smotrich says he has been “vilified” by the US media, which mistakenly portrays him as someone who plans to implement religious law.

“In reality, we seek to strengthen every citizen’s freedoms and the country’s democratic institutions, bringing Israel more closely in line with the liberal American model,” he says.

He also justifies planned judicial reforms that will limit the power of the judiciary as another attempt to imitate the US model.

“Israel’s justice system also needs urgent reform to restore democratic balance, individual rights and public trust. In the US, elected politicians appoint federal judges, including Supreme Court justices, making the bench at least indirectly responsive to the people. In Israel, sitting Supreme Court justices have veto power over new appointments to the court,” he says.

“Our emphasis on judicial reform is meant to bring Israel closer to the American political model with some limited checks to ensure the judicial system respects the law. We seek to appoint judges in Israel in a process similar to America’s.”

Smotrich also broadens his appeal to the US public, saying that as finance minister he plans to crack down on Israeli labor unions.

“As finance minister, I will pursue a broad free-market policy. This includes removing the government price controls and import restrictions that have limited competition and kept consumer prices high, as well as regulatory reforms and a loosening of bureaucratic control over small businesses. Inspired by US right-to-work laws, we will pursue similar measures to reduce union control in Israel’s labor force,” he says.