Bezalel Smotrich

Israel creeps toward West Bank annexation as election season approaches - opinion

The de facto annexation of the West Bank is the natural byproduct of a political system where words are cheap and real power operates without transparency.

A Palestinian man walks past a fence decorated with Israeli flags installed by Jewish settlers in the northern West Bank. The de facto annexation of the West Bank is the natural byproduct of a political system where words are cheap and real power operates without transparency, the writer says.
A VIEW of Kibbutz Be’eri shows a destroyed home from a world left behind on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists, Palestinian civilians, UNWRA workers, and media members infiltrated Gaza border communities and massacred 1,200 people.

If the political elite keep performing for cameras, Israel will never be able to heal - editorial

Ra'am party head MK Mansour Abbas leads a faction meeting, at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on January 12, 2026.

Hamas allegedly asked Mansour Abbas to ensure Netanyahu's re-election in 2021 - report

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett attends a Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem, February 17, 2026

Former PM Naftali Bennett won't boycott Ben-Gvir or Smotrich, leaked recordings reveal


Sa'ar announces forum with worldwide Jewish leaders to address growing antisemitism

Leaders from Jewish communities and organizations worldwide will participate in the J-50 Forum, to be held in Jerusalem from December 21 to 24.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar speaks during a ceremony at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, September 15, 2025

'Writing was on the wall': Israeli politicians condemn Bondi Beach mass shooting

"Our hearts are with the community, and we stand with them," Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer said at the event honoring lone soldiers at the President's Residence in Jerusalem.

A woman holds a child in a blanket after a shooting incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 14, 2025. Australian police said two people were in custody following reports of multiple gunshots on December 14 at Sydney's famed Bondi Beach, urging the public to take shelter

Likud returns to support levels from before October 7, RZP fails to pass threshold, poll finds

Religious Zionist Party, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, slid under the threshold with 2.8% support, as public divisions over the IDF draft framework and the state budget grew. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a 40 signatures debate, at the plenum hall of the Knesset, in Jerusalem, on December 8, 2025

Smotrich approves hundreds of housing units in multiple West Bank settlements

The units will be spread out between Hashmonaim, just over the Green Line in central Israel, and Givat Zeev and Beitar Illit near Jerusalem.

 A construction site of a new residential neighborhood at the mixed religious-secular Jewish settlement in the West Bank Kfar Adumim, March 9, 2023.

Knesset FADC extends emergency draft for 280,000 IDF reservists until January 1

FADC Chairman Boaz Bismuth said he pushed to approve the extension after Defense Minister Israel Katz said it was necessary for the country's national security.

 Reservist exercise in the North. January 17, 2024

What did the gov’t approve for Israel’s 2026 state budget? - explainer

The 2026 budget passed its first test, yet the battles over defense, taxes, and reforms expose a government more focused on managing crises than shaping policy.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich after a press conference at the ministry, December 4, 2025; illustrative.

Smotrich, Sa'ar approve NIS 2.35 billion in hasbara budget for campaigns, influencers in 2026

The budget will be used for campaigns to raise awareness and promote Israel worldwide, with NIS 1 billion already authorized by the government.

Gideon Sa'ar

Religious Zionist Party crosses threshold with four seats as coalition bloc climbs to 53 - poll

The poll shows the coalition bloc rising to 53 seats, up four from the previous survey, driven by Religious Zionism’s gains. The opposition bloc gained 57 seats.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich seen after a press conference at the Finance Ministry in Jerusalem on December 4, 2025.

Israel approves 2026 state budget incl. NIS 112 b. designated for defense spending

Opposition leader and Yesh Atid chair Yair Lapid said the government is approving "a budget of corruption and draft-dodging."

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at cabinet meeting to vote on 2026 budget, December 5, 2025.

Saudi Arabia sends $90 million to rescue Palestinian Authority from financial collapse

The PA’s financial collapse has become a broader diplomatic issue. France, Norway, Spain, and Saudi Arabia have launched efforts to rally outside donors.

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman waves as he departs following a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC, US, November 18, 2025.