Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich took a direct shot at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, pushing back against the premier’s recent call for a broad national unity government amid Israel’s tense security situation. Speaking at a Jerusalem conference, Smotrich said pointedly: “There are those who talk about unity—and those who act in unity.”
1+At the conference—attended by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, and Construction Minister Ze’ev Elkin—Smotrich argued his coalition is already delivering unity through action. “We’re removing an existential threat from the people of Israel, investing tens of billions in the periphery, and taking care of reservists—without asking who votes for whom,” he said. Then came the jab at Netanyahu: “There are those who talk about unity—we act in unity.”
Days earlier, Netanyahu announced in a media statement his intention to form a broad government, claiming that during a sensitive security and political period, “there are forces that want to lead to a deep rift in the nation.” He added: “I intend to establish a broad national government. Enough with the boycotts.”
1+In a special interview on the show “The Patriots” on Tuesday, the Prime Minister made clear there’s no intention to dismantle the current bloc or prefer “new partners” over those who have walked with him all along.