Bezalel Smotrich Faces Election Battle as Israel’s Far-Right Vote Fractures

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is facing a difficult political battle ahead of Israel’s October 27 election after his position on ultra-Orthodox military exemptions angered some of his traditional supporters in West Bank settlements.

Smotrich, 46, leads the far-right Religious Zionism party and is a prominent advocate of Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. His party opposes the creation of a Palestinian state and argues for Jewish sovereignty over the territory between the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea.

During his time in government, Smotrich has pushed for increased settlement construction, earning strong support from parts of the settler movement. Several Western countries, however, have barred him from entry over allegations that he supports settler violence against Palestinians, accusations rejected by Smotrich and the Israeli government.

His latest political difficulties stem from his support for legislation that would prevent the arrest of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men who avoid compulsory military service. Israel’s Supreme Court ruled in 2024 that exemptions based on religious study were unlawful, making the issue increasingly contentious during the Gaza war.

Although Smotrich says ultra-Orthodox men should serve in the Israeli military, he argues that arrests would deepen divisions within Israeli society. Speaking at a recent settler gathering, he faced heckling from attendees frustrated by the burden placed on soldiers and reservists.

Political analyst Gayil Talshir of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem said Smotrich’s position appears calculated to preserve Netanyahu’s governing coalition while allowing him to continue advancing settlement policies.

The strategy could carry a heavy electoral price. Some former Religious Zionism supporters say Smotrich has compromised one of their core principles, particularly as Israeli reservists and their families face mounting pressure following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks and subsequent Gaza war.

Religious Zionism currently holds seven seats in Israel’s 120-member parliament. Recent opinion polls suggest the party could struggle to cross the 3.5% electoral threshold required to win representation in October.

With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu likely to need every possible ally to form another government, Talshir expects efforts to secure Smotrich’s political future, potentially through another far-right party alliance ahead of the election.