Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich Faces Political Backlash Over Ultra Orthodox Draft Vote

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is facing a struggle for political survival ahead of the October 27 elections after supporting a law that would prevent the arrest of ultra Orthodox Jews who avoid military service. The vote has angered many of his supporters among West Bank settlers, who argue that the exemption places an unfair burden on reservists and threatens the existence of the army. Smotrich, who leads the Religious Zionism party, defended his position by stating that arrests would cause Jews to fight in the streets and that enlistment must be achieved through consensus.

This internal conflict highlights a broader faultline within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition. The government has struggled to maintain unity since a 2024 Supreme Court ruling declared that draft exemptions for religious study were unlawful. While the bill to prevent arrests passed in parliament, it was subsequently blocked by the Supreme Court. Political science lecturer Gayil Talshir noted that Smotrich's decision was a calculated move to remain in the coalition and continue advancing settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Smotrich is a lifelong settler who opposes a Palestinian state and has been banned from several Western countries over accusations that he supports settler violence against Palestinians, claims that he and the Israeli government reject. While some supporters praise his achievements in settlement building, others, such as lawyer Shvut Raanan, claim he no longer represents the values of Religious Zionism.