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Bezalel Smotrich

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (R) signs an agreement with Moshe Feiglin for a joint run in the Knesset elections on September 1, 2026. (Religious Zionism)
Smotrich, Feiglin announce joint election run, urge other right-wing parties to join
By ToI Staff
Religious Zionism leader warns achievements of current government at stake in election; responding dismissively to union, newcomer Ofer Winter says 'people of Israel want something new'
Jacob Magid
Exclusive
/
Palestinian banking crisis averted, as Israeli bank delays plan to halt collaboration
Jacob Magid
Sam Sokol
Inside Story
/
With only days left to submit slates, small parties are still jockeying for position
Sam Sokol
Finance Minister and head of the Religious Zionist party Bezalel Smotrich attends the Religious Zionism party primary ahead of the upcoming general election, in Jerusalem, July 26, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Smotrich lambastes IDF for jailing soldiers who wouldn’t serve with female medic
By ToI Staff
A composite photo of People of Israel party leader Ofer Winter and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90, Channel 14)
August 31, 2026, 8:51 am
Netanyahu warns Winter’s party could ‘bring down’ his bloc; Winter: Need new leaders, untainted by Oct. 7
After PM suggests a meeting, Winter says current government is ‘the real danger’ due to mishandling of war, failure to draft Haredim; PM claims Eisenkot would establish Palestinian state, Eisenkot derides ‘ridiculous lies’
By Nava Freiberg and ToI Staff
Finance Minister and head of the Religious Zionist Party Bezalel Smotrich attends the party primary in Jerusalem, July 26, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
August 30, 2026, 8:34 pm
Smotrich aims to cut Israel’s record gas prices, but his plan may be deemed illegal
Israelis set to pay NIS 8.25 per liter at the pump, tying all-time high amid Iran tensions; AG reportedly could say intended tax cut is prohibited so close to election
By ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir seen in the Knesset on July 16, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
August 28, 2026, 4:05 pm
Ben Gvir refuses Netanyahu’s demand to merge with Smotrich; Likud: He’s crowning Eisenkot
PM’s party accuses the Otzma Yehudit leader of ‘burning votes’ for sake of his ego after he turns down PM’s invite to so much as meet with Smotrich ‘to save the right-wing bloc’
By ToI Staff
Religious Zionism chairman and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich presents his plan to "Judaize" the Negev and Galilee while curtailing Arab building, August 27, 2026. (Courtesy of Religious Zionism)
August 27, 2026, 6:47 pm
Smotrich calls to ‘Judaize’ Negev, Galilee as part of his settlement ‘revolution’
Far-right minister’s pre-election plan would establish dozens of towns for one million new Jewish residents while curbing Arab building
By Sam Sokol
Former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, speaks at an agriculture-focused election campaign conference at the Drom HaSharon Regional Council building in central Israel on July 27, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
August 27, 2026, 4:05 pm
Eisenkot says two-state solution ‘delusional’ post-Oct. 7, but E1 settlement plan a ‘mistake’
Yashar party chief, leading in election polls, blasts Smotrich and Ben Gvir for spiraling settler violence, says IDF has ‘lost control’ in West Bank
By ToI Staff
Ofer Winter at the launch of his new People of Israel party in Jerusalem, August 25, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
August 26, 2026, 4:43 pm
Ofer Winter’s disciplined political launch threatens to upend the right-wing bloc
The former IDF general’s new People of Israel party unveiled a surprisingly diverse slate on Tuesday, openly challenging Netanyahu and refusing to back down under fire
By Shalom Yerushalmi
Far-right lawmaker Zvi Sukkot smashes a Palestinian 'Martyrs Monument' in the West Bank village of Madama, August 25, 2026. (MK Zvi Sukkot's office)
August 25, 2026, 1:44 pm
Far-right MK smashes monument for Palestinian ‘martyrs’ during IDF-escorted West Bank tour
Zvi Sukkot, aides filmed wielding sledgehammers in Madama; army accuses him of acting ‘deceptively and manipulatively; incident triggers condemnations across political spectrum; PM: ‘Unacceptable’
By Emanuel Fabian, Sam Sokol and Stav Levaton
Ilustrative: Offices of Discount and Hapoalim banks in the center of Tel Aviv (Miriam Alster/ FLASH90)
August 21, 2026, 1:11 am
Progress made in talks with Israeli banks to delay move that could collapse PA economy
Sources tell ToI that Discount and Hapoalim are likely to hold off on threat to stop providing critical correspondent services to Palestinian banks, following Western intervention
By Jacob Magid
View of the area of the planned E1 project between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim, seen August 21, 2025. (Jamal Awad/Flash90)
August 21, 2026, 12:00 am
EU said readying cross-industry sanctions against Israel over E1 settlement project
Brussels reportedly devised list of sanctions — said to cover academics, commerce and security — for use if construction begins in area seen as key to future Palestinian state
By ToI Staff and Nava Freiberg
Israeli settlers stand outside houses after the reopening of the settlement of Ganim in the West Bank on August 13, 2026. (ILIA YEFIMOVICH/AFP)
August 13, 2026, 5:56 pm
Families move into rebuilt West Bank settlement of Ganim, 21 years after evacuation
Some two dozen prefabricated homes installed, with construction ongoing; IDF carries out demolitions of nearby Palestinian stores and blocks roads to adjacent villages
By ToI Staff and AFP
Israeli soldiers seen on the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip, August 5, 2026. (Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)
August 9, 2026, 5:53 pm
Netanyahu rejects Trump’s 15-point Gaza plan, insists he can stand up to US president
PM stresses Israel’s categorical opposition to Board of Peace’s deal that Hamas agreed to, saying IDF won’t withdraw from any part of Strip until terror group fully disarms
By Lazar Berman, Reuters and ToI Staff
Finance Minister and head of the Religious Zionist Party Bezalel Smotrich attends the party primary in Jerusalem, July 26, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
August 7, 2026, 12:38 pm
Smotrich placates coalition on Haredi draft, but pays a cost among settler base
After voting last month to keep ultra-Orthodox evaders out of jail, far-right minister risks losing onetime supporters who serve in IDF and bear heavy burden in wartime
By Reuters and ToI Staff
Protesters from the Arab-Jewish left-wing movement Standing Together block the entrance to the Religious Zionism party's office in Shoham, August 5, 2026. (Standing Together on X)
August 5, 2026, 6:54 pm
Left-wing demonstrators with ‘bloody hands’ protest outside Religious Zionism party HQ
Protesters from Arab-Jewish left-wing movement Standing Together block entrance to party’s Shoham office, accuse Smotrich of funding settler terror
By Sam Sokol
US bureau chief Jacob Magid appears on the Daily Briefing podcast with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)
August 4, 2026, 2:08 pm
Daily Briefing Aug. 4: Banking on politics — Israel and the Palestinian financial crisis
US bureau chief Jacob Magid reports on Trump’s frustration with Iranian regime, Board of Peace disarmament talks, and a deep dive into the Palestinian banking crisis
By Jessica Steinberg and Jacob Magid
A woman walks near Tzur Misgavi, an illegal outpost in Gush Etzion, in the West Bank, November 17, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
July 31, 2026, 12:06 pm
God, land and politics: As Israel heads to elections, where do religious Israelis stand?
Bombastic, hardline politicians have become the face of the Religious Zionist community, but recent polling shows that while core beliefs are unchanging, the group is far from a monolith
By Rossella Tercatin
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