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Bezalel Smotrich

After meeting for the Negev Summit, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, left, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, and United Arab Emirates' Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, pose for a photograph Monday, March 28, 2022, in Sde Boker, Israel. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)
Nava Freiberg
Inside story
Nava Freiberg
Arab states see hawks ruling Israel no matter who wins vote, but still sense room for change
Observers tell ToI that even if new leadership leaves security doctrine and opposition to two-state solution in place, shifts in approach to Palestinians and regional diplomacy could change tenor of ties
An Israeli Air Force Apache helicopter, August 18, 2025. (Moshe Shai/FLASH90)
October 14, 2026, 1:41 pm
Israel inks deal to buy 12 Apache helicopters from US’s Boeing after government okay
Ministers approve ‘urgent’ NIS 1 billion purchase, with most of the funds to come from slashing 5-year plan to improve Arab society, after US was said readying to drop deal
By Emanuel Fabian
Screen capture from video of Davidi Ben Zion, deputy mayor of the Samaria Regional Council. (YouTube)
October 14, 2026, 8:47 am
Candidate leaves Ofer Winter’s party amid pressure, fear of wasting votes
Davidi Ben Zion, No. 8 in People of Israel party, cites low polling and right-wing campaign urging him to drop out, including posters in his home community
By ToI Staff
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the and Religious Zionism party chairman, tours the Mahane Yehuda Market as part of the party’s election campaign in Jerusalem, October 9, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
October 13, 2026, 6:38 pm
Smotrich: ‘Complete lie’ that IDF troops are burdened because of Haredi exemption
Far-right minister contradicts IDF assessments, claims some 50,000 reservists are willing to return to fight; Haredi youths tear down election signs for new ultra-Orthodox party
By Ariela Karmel
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich signs an order to reduce the excise tax on gasoline to bring down fuel prices at the pump, October 5, 2026. (X/Bezalel Smotrich)
October 4, 2026, 7:46 pm
Government trims price at pump, days after it reached record high
Treasury trims a further NIS 0.5 off fuel tax excise surcharge, bringing cost per liter down to NIS 7.7; ministry officials reportedly balk at cost to state coffers
By ToI Staff
Political correspondent Ariela Karmel appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)
October 1, 2026, 2:38 pm
Daily Briefing Oct. 1 – Flydubai attack becomes political fodder for candidates
Political correspondent Ariela Karmel discusses rhetoric in wake of copilot’s attack on Dubai flight, and High Court hearings on the disqualification of Arab parties ahead of the election
By Jessica Steinberg and Ariela Karmel
A fuel pump nozzle inserted into a car at a Dor Alon gas station in central Israel, September 4, 2026. (Nati Shohat/Flash90)
September 30, 2026, 10:06 am
Price at pump set to hit record high of NIS 8.27 per liter
Government says rise due to world energy markets, which have been rattled by supply concerns amid Iran war
By ToI Staff
View of the area of the planned E1 project between Jerusalem and the Ma’ale Adumim West Bank city, August 21, 2025. (Jamal Awad/Flash90)
September 28, 2026, 9:46 pm
Attorney general eases stance on E1 settlement plan, allowing submissions for tenders
Dropping earlier demand to postpone applications until after national election in October, AG instead delays only decision on awarding projects
By Jeremy Sharon
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Science Minister Gila Gamliel, Settlements Minister Orit Strock, and other dignitaries inaugurate two new settlements in the southern West Bank region, September 27, 2026. (Eitam Shalem)
September 28, 2026, 7:40 pm
Two new West Bank settlements inaugurated with cabinet ministers on hand
Makeda and Karmei Yehudah in the southern West Bank are already populated, while residents of Meged and Maale Einav in the same region will move in soon
By Jeremy Sharon
This photograph taken from the E1 corridor, an area in the West Bank shows vehicles driving along the highway near the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, on September 8, 2026. (Ahmad GHARABLI/AFP)
September 27, 2026, 6:43 pm
AG postpones tenders for E1 settlement project; Smotrich accuses her of election meddling
Baharav-Miara delays tender deadline until after Oct. 27 vote, citing electioneering concerns; far-right leader says process is apolitical, urges election chief to keep AG from becoming an ‘active player’
By Jeremy Sharon, ToI Staff and AFP
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a ceremony marking the establishment of the new Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Arugot in Gush Etzion, in the West Bank, September 2, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
September 27, 2026, 4:17 pm
Smotrich: Israel must ‘go to war’ in West Bank, ‘do there what we did in Gaza’
Finance minister also calls on Israel to annex ‘at least’ up to the ceasefire line in Gaza and the Litani River in Lebanon to make enemies ‘pay a price’ for Oct. 7 and ensuing wars
By ToI Staff
Nabil Jabarin stands in the West Bank Palestinian hamlet of Jinba in the Masafer Yatta region where he lives, September 24, 2026. (Courtesy)
September 24, 2026, 10:17 pm
As Israel steps up hamlet demolitions, owner of razed home insists he’s staying put
After Civil Administration tears down dozens of structures in West Bank’s Jinba, Nabil Jabarin says his family is sleeping outdoors, but will rebuild if ‘better’ government takes power
By Jeremy Sharon
Yisrael Beytenu party chairman MK Avigdor Liberman leads a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on June 15, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 23, 2026, 2:46 pm
Liberman proposes Jordan control parts of West Bank, drawing right-wing rebuke
Yisrael Beytenu party chief says PA cannot remain in control of territory and ‘you can’t have a vacuum’; Netanyahu tells him to ‘retract your statement immediately’
By Stav Levaton and ToI Staff
Legal correspondent Jeremy Sharon appears on the Daily Briefing podcast with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)
September 23, 2026, 1:52 pm
Daily Briefing Sept. 23 – Religious Zionism party doubles down on judicial revolution
Legal correspondent Jeremy Sharon discusses Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s plans to radically constrain the judiciary, and how the sale of Channel 13 was finally approved
By Jessica Steinberg and Jeremy Sharon
An AI-generated video posted September 15, 2026 by Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich depicts (left to right) Supreme Court President Isaac Amit, fellow justice Daphne Barak-Erez, and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara being forcibly removed at a protest. (Bezalel Smotrich via X)
September 15, 2026, 10:50 pm
Smotrich assailed for AI video of High Court chief, AG being dragged at protest
Video posted as part of Religious Zionism party’s election campaign, advocating judicial overhaul more radical than outgoing government’s; Herzog denounces ‘offensive AI videos’
By Jeremy Sharon
MK Simcha Rothman (left) and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (right), flanked by masked security personnel, arrive at a ceremony marking the establishment of the new Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Arugot in Gush Etzion, in the West Bank, September 2, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
September 15, 2026, 7:18 pm
Religious Zionism launches plans for more radical judicial overhaul after election
Smotrich posts AI-generated video of Supreme Court justices, AG getting dragged out of protest; Eisenkot calls it ‘despicable,’ Bar Association director slams ‘incitement’
By Jeremy Sharon
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