Israel's far-right minister resigns amid political tensions in Netanyahu's government.
Bezalel Smotrich leaves Israel's Finance Ministry after disagreements with coalition allies, which remains in place.
247 - The Finance Minister of IsraelBezalel Smotrich submitted his resignation on Monday (31), through a letter sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The information was released by the Reuters news agency.
According to a spokesperson for SmotrichThe decision was made in protest against the recent demands of Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of the nationalist-religious Jewish Power party, who requested more ministerial positions after returning to the government.
Despite Smotrich's departure, the coalition led by [name missing] is not expected to [continue]. Netanyahu This could be undone, especially after the Israeli Parliament approved the government's 2025 budget last week.
Smotrich and Israeli politics
Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionist Party, is known for his nationalist and conservative positions, advocating for the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and opposing the creation of a Palestinian state.
The resignation occurs in a context of internal tensions within the governing coalition, especially related to the ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. GazaIn January 2025, Smotrich threatened to leave the government if the war in Gaza did not resume immediately after the first phase of the ceasefire, considering the agreement a "catastrophe for Israel's security." He argued that the ceasefire sent a message that "kidnapping Israelis brings the State of Israel to its knees."
Other figures from the Israeli far-right also expressed strong opposition to the ceasefire. Itamar Ben GvirDavid Netanyahu, leader of the Jewish Power party and then Minister of National Security, resigned in protest against the agreement, calling it "reckless" and stating that it would destroy all of Israel's achievements. Furthermore, three far-right ministers left the government in January 2025 due to the ceasefire in Gaza, weakening the coalition led by Netanyahu.
Smotrich's departure from the Finance Ministry reflects divisions within the Israeli government regarding security policy and agreements with Palestinian groups, highlighting the challenges Netanyahu faces in maintaining the stability of his coalition.
