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ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 621

Religious Zionism Party

The committee for selection of the rabbinical judges meets at the office of Sephardi Chief Rabbi David Yosef on May 18, 2025. (Courtesy of Israel Ginsberg, Spokesperson)
May 19, 2025, 3:22 pm
Amid nepotism claims, new rabbinical judges appointed for first time in 7 years
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri’s son-in-law one of 21 appointees, among whom are Ashkenazi Haredi, Sephardi Haredi, and national religious men
By Rossella Tercatin
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leads a faction meeting for his Religious Zionism party at the Knesset in Jerusalem, March 17, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
April 22, 2025, 6:07 pm
‘Send your children to fight’: Smotrich spars with Haredi MKs over hostages, IDF
Dispute among coalition members sparked after Shas and United Torah Judaism lawmakers slam finance minister for saying that ‘returning the hostages is not the most important thing’
By Sam Sokol
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attend a Knesset vote on the state budget, February 7, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
April 3, 2025, 2:44 am
Smotrich reverses resignation as PM helps patch rift among his far-right partners
Almog Cohen agrees to take deputy ministerial post, resign as MK so Religious Zionism member can rejoin Knesset after being forced out by Otzma Yehudit’s brief departure from gov’t
By Sam Sokol
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leads a faction meeting for his Religious Zionism party at the Knesset in Jerusalem, March 17, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
April 1, 2025, 10:33 am
Smotrich briefly resigns as minister in order to push rival party member out of Knesset
Religious Zionism chief slated to reclaim post following maneuver to oust Otzma Yehudit MK Yitzhak Kroizer, amid spat between factions that ran on joint list in last election
By Sam Sokol
Ultra-Orthodox students at the Ateret Shlomo yeshiva chain dance and sing at the wedding of the seminary chief's son, in Mishor Adumim in the West Bank, March 11, 2025. (Screenshot: X; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
March 13, 2025, 10:15 am
Outrage as students at state-funded Haredi yeshiva sing anti-Zionist, anti-enlistment anthem
‘We don’t believe in the government of infidels and we won’t show up at their [army] recruitment offices,’ sing thousands of Ateret Shlomo young men at mass wedding
By ToI Staff
Combo photo showing Opposition Leader Yair Lapid (left) at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, on February 17, 2025, and Settlements and National Projects Minister Orit Strock at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, January 27, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
March 3, 2025, 3:31 pm
Lapid panned for saying he ‘deserves raise’ for having to look at religious female minister
Yesh Atid leader blasted as misogynistic for joking he should be paid more for having to cast his eyes upon Religious Zionism’s Orit Strock; claims comment referred to her conduct, not looks
By ToI Staff
Religious Zionism MK Michal Woldiger, during the Religious Zionism primaries, at a polling station in Jerusalem, August 23, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90/File)
February 27, 2025, 9:27 am
Any conscription law on Haredim ‘must be temporary,’ says Religious Zionism MK
Michal Woldiger tells The Times of Israel legislation can be extended if it succeeds in boosting enlistment, but if it fails, ‘then something else needs to be done’
By Sam Sokol
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leads a meeting of his Religious Zionism parliamentary faction, at the Knesset in Jerusalem, February 24, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
February 24, 2025, 11:24 pm
Smotrich claims credit for decision to delay release of Palestinian prisoners
Opposition’s Gantz, Liberman blast PM for playing politics at expense of national security, citing botched bus bombing terror plot; IDF demands Haredi draft
By Sam Sokol
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich addresses the Knesset plenum, January 29, 2025. (Dani Shem-Tov/Knesset)
January 29, 2025, 4:17 pm
After Shas ultimatum, Smotrich rejects ‘concessions’ on Haredi conscription bill
Recruiting currently exempt ultra-Orthodox men is ‘an existential national security necessity,’ minister declares; Haredi party members seek to downplay threat to tank coalition
By Sam Sokol
Then-National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir arrives at a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, January 17, 2025. (Chaim GoldbergFLASH90)
January 19, 2025, 1:00 pm
Otzma Yehudit exits coalition over Gaza deal, blasting it as ‘victory for terrorism’
Chairman Ben Gvir tells Netanyahu he’s proud of party’s ‘significant achievements under your leadership’ but slams him for crossing ‘all ideological red lines’
By Sam Sokol
Left: National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, January 16, 2025; Right: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, January 13, 2025. (Both photos by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
January 18, 2025, 10:35 pm
Otzma Yehudit to quit coalition Sunday; Religious Zionism condemns deal but remains
Otzma leader Ben Gvir says PM offered to fire IDF chief of Staff and credit him for it, a claim Netanyahu says is a lie
By Sam Sokol, Amy Spiro and ToI Staff
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir holds a press conference together with members of his far-right Otzma Yehudit party in Jerusalem, January 16, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/FLASH90)
January 16, 2025, 11:51 pm
Ben Gvir says his party will quit government if cabinet implements hostage-ceasefire deal
‘Reckless deal’ will lead to ‘the release of hundreds of murderous terrorists’ and ‘effectively erase the achievements of the war,’ warns far-right leader
By Sam Sokol
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leads a Religious Zionism faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on December 9, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
January 16, 2025, 7:08 pm
Religious Zionism says will quit coalition if no return to war after deal’s 1st phase
Smotrich’s far-right party said to demand up-front guarantees from PM; MK Sukkot: ‘In all likelihood, we will resign from the government’
By Sam Sokol
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir posts a video message calling on Bezalel Smotrich to join him in opposing a hostage deal on January 15, 2025 (Screencapture/ X)
January 14, 2025, 2:26 pm
Ben Gvir says he repeatedly foiled hostage deals, urges Smotrich to help him stop this one
Far-right Otzma Yehudit leader says over the past year ‘we managed to prevent this deal from going ahead, time after time’; Religious Zionism party said set to meet Netanyahu
By ToI Staff
MK Simcha Rothman chairs a meeting of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, December 17, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
December 21, 2024, 12:07 pm
MK threatens that judges ‘playing hardball’ will lead to resumption of judicial overhaul
Simcha Rothman, a leader of push to expand government’s power by curbing legal system’s independence, also claims ‘consensus’ for firing AG and defends far-right riot at IDF base
By Sam Sokol
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