DID Press: Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s finance minister and leader of the Religious Zionism Party, is facing growing discontent among parts of his electoral base in West Bank settlements after voting for legislation that prevents the arrest of Haredi men who refuse military service. The political crisis is challenging the fragile cohesion of Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition ahead of the October 27 election.
Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s finance minister and leader of the far-right Religious Zionism Party, is facing a serious crisis within his social base ahead of October’s election. His vote for legislation preventing the arrest of Haredi men who refuse military service has angered some like-minded settlers, many of whom, or whose family members, serve in the Israeli military and have borne the heavy burden of the recent war. The decision has been viewed, particularly among army reservists repeatedly called up since the October 7 attacks, as a betrayal of the values of Religious Zionism.
Electoral Base Divided
Smotrich, who has spent his entire life in West Bank settlements, has long been a staunch advocate of expanding settlements. Relying on support from the settler movement, he secured seven Knesset seats in the previous election. But some former supporters now say they no longer feel represented by his party.
Sarel Halperin, a settler from Alon Shvut, warned that continuing along this path could leave the Israeli military short of reservists and threaten the country’s existence. The discontent indicates that the issue of Haredi military service has become a critical demand among sections of the Religious Zionist community.
Ideological Roots of the Dispute
Religious Zionism regards military service as a sacred duty to defend the Jewish state, even if the state itself is secular in nature. By contrast, many Haredim do not regard the establishment of a Jewish state as inherently sacred and resist compliance when state requirements conflict with their religious values.
This ideological divide became one of the main fault lines within Netanyahu’s coalition after the Supreme Court ruled in 2024 that exemptions for religious seminary students were unlawful. A law recently approved by parliament was intended to prevent the arrest of Haredi men, but the Supreme Court halted its implementation.
Smotrich has defended his vote, arguing that arrests would only fuel internal conflict among Jews and that the issue should instead be resolved through a social agreement.
Political Consequences for Smotrich
The position has carried a significant political cost for Smotrich. Some settlers believe he no longer represents the values of Religious Zionism and accuse him of having “sold” the country to the Haredim.
Shavuot Ra’anan, a 33-year-old lawyer raised in the West Bank, said many families are under severe strain because of the prolonged military service of reservists. The criticism comes as Smotrich continues to retain support among parts of the settler movement, with some supporters describing his achievements in expanding settlements as “beyond imagination.”
Comparison With Ben-Gvir’s Base
While the Haredi military-service dispute has shaken Smotrich’s political base, the issue appears to generate less sensitivity for Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the Otzma Yehudit party.
Although polls indicate that a majority of the party’s voters also support integrating Haredim into the military, the social composition of Ben-Gvir’s base has made the issue a lower priority. Part of his electorate comes from outside the Religious Zionist community and is more attracted to his hard-line security positions toward Palestinians.
This difference has made the current crisis particularly damaging to the Religious Zionism Party.
Challenge for Netanyahu
Smotrich’s political crisis reflects the broader difficulty Benjamin Netanyahu faces in maintaining the cohesion of his tense coalition. The October 27 election will be the first election since the Gaza war began, making every Knesset seat crucial to forming the next government.
With seven seats currently, the Religious Zionism Party could even face difficulties crossing the 3.5% electoral threshold. Gil Talshir, a political science professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, believes Netanyahu will seek once again to create an electoral alliance among far-right parties to help Smotrich cross the threshold.
However, declining support among the settler community could place Smotrich’s political future at serious risk.