Bezalel Smotrich
Bezalel Yoel Smotrich (Hebrew: בְּצַלְאֵל יוֹאֵל סְמוֹטְרִיץ׳, born 27 February 1980) is an Israeli far-right politician and lawyer who has served as the Minister of Finance since 2022. The leader of the National Religious Party–Religious Zionism, he previously served as a Knesset member for Yamina.
Bezalel Smotrich | |
|---|---|
| Other ministerial roles | |
| 2019–2020 | Minister of Transport |
| 2022– | Minister of Finance |
| 2022– | Minister in the Defense Ministry |
| Faction represented in the Knesset | |
| 2015–2019 | The Jewish Home |
| 2019 | Union of Right-Wing Parties |
| 2019 | Yamina |
| 2019–2020 | The Jewish Home–Tkuma |
| 2020–2021 | Yamina |
| 2021–2023 | Religious Zionist Party |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 February 1980 Haspin, Golan Heights |
Smotrich is a settler in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, living in the settlement of Kedumim, which is deemed illegal under international law. His residence was also built illegally outside the settlement proper.
Smotrich's extremist politics and often racist and homophobic statements have led to several controversies. He is a supporter of expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank, opposes Palestinian statehood, and denies the existence of the Palestinian people.