Who’s the Divisive Politician About to Head Israel’s Finances?
Bezalel Smotrich says he’ll pursue free-market policies and supports expanding the budget for religious education
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He’s called himself a “proud homophobe” and said his wife shouldn’t have to recover from birth near an Arab woman in hospital. He was arrested and held for weeks for protesting against Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza. He wants Jewish scripture to have more prominence in Israel’s legal and economic systems.
And he’s about to become the country’s finance minister.