Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated Tuesday that his Religious Zionism party is not bound by the coalition's ongoing negotiations or any resulting agreements, signaling potential friction within the government. He spoke at the MUNI EXPO 2026 conference of the Local Government Center.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared Tuesday at the MUNI EXPO 2026 conference that his Religious Zionism party is not obligated to the coalition's ongoing negotiations or any resulting agreements. 'We are not committed to the negotiations and we are not committed to these agreements, and therefore we are not prepared to sit there around the table,' he said. The statement signals potential deepening of internal coalition friction, as the government is conducting sensitive talks on budget priorities and security-related legislation. Smotrich's remarks come amid reported tensions between Religious Zionism and other coalition partners over allocation of funds and policy direction. No immediate response from the Prime Minister's Office or other coalition leaders has been reported. The conference was held by the Local Government Center.
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