Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right Israeli Finance Minister, has resigned amid coalition tensions within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. His resignation, which took place on Monday, further escalates the tension within Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition.
Following his resignation, Smotrich will return to his seat in the Knesset, where he will continue to serve as a lawmaker for his far-right Religious Zionism party.
The resignation comes after a dispute with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over the reinstatement of Knesset member Zvi Sukot. Smotrich’s party accused Ben-Gvir and Netanyahu’s Likud party of violating a political agreement between them.
This resignation highlights the growing divisions within Israel’s far-right coalition, which has been facing increasing internal disagreements over key appointments and policies in recent months.