Skip to main content

Israeli finance minister Smotrich resigns from post as minister in government

1 min Mena Today

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich resigned from his post as minister on Monday in a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Bezalel Smotrich, Reuters/Amir Cohen

Bezalel Smotrich, Reuters/Amir Cohen

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich resigned from his post as minister on Monday in a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A spokesperson for Smotrich said the move was a protest against nationalist-religious Jewish Power party head Itamar Ben Gvir's request for more ministerial positions upon Ben Gvir's return to the government.

The resignation is not likely to collapse Netanyahu's coalition. The government passed its 2025 budget in Israel's parliament last week.

Reporting by Emily Rose

Related

Israel

Putin holds talks with Netanyahu on Iran

President Vladimir Putin is mediating in the Iran situation to try to quickly de-escalate tensions, the Kremlin said on Friday, after the Russian leader spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Gaza

Trump signals support for interim Palestinian leadership in Gaza

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was backing the newly appointed "Palestinian Technocratic Government" in Gaza where Washington has announced the launch of a second phase in a ceasefire that went into effect in October but remains fragile.

Iran

European airlines continue to avoid Iran and Iraq despite airspace reopen

European airlines like Wizz Air, Lufthansa and British Airways dodged Iraqi and Iranian airspace on Thursday, according to flight tracking websites, opting instead for routes over Afghanistan and central Asia in an effort to mitigate risks associated with ongoing geopolitical turmoil in Iran and the Middle East.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.