Esra Tekin
03 April 2025•Update: 03 April 2025
ISTANBUL
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich withdrew his resignation letter from the government after resolving a coalition crisis between his Religious Zionist Party and the Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party led by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported Wednesday.
The crisis in the ruling coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was resolved through Knesset member Almog Cohen from Jewish Power resigning from parliament and being appointed as deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Office while Smotrich will remain as finance minister, which came after a meeting with Netanyahu.
"As a result, Smotrich withdrew his resignation from the Knesset just hours before it was set to come into effect, and Knesset member Tzvi Sukkot from the Religious Zionism party will return to the Knesset under the Norwegian Law after two and a half months of leaving the Knesset," said the newspaper.
On Monday, Smotrich announced his resignation from his government post due to a dispute with Ben-Gvir, a move which Israeli media described as "a temporary procedural step."
The Hebrew website Walla reported Monday that Smotrich "submitted his resignation from his position as finance minister in Benjamin Netanyahu's government due to a dispute with Ben-Gvir."
Yedioth Ahronoth also confirmed at the time that Smotrich’s resignation was "a procedural step," as he intended to return to work as a Knesset member and had formally requested to be reappointed to his ministerial position once his parliamentary seat was restored.
The newspaper pointed out that the practice in Israel, known as the Norwegian Law, allows ministers or deputy ministers to resign from Knesset membership to focus on their executive duties, allowing the next candidate on their party list to enter parliament.
