The establishment of the new play.
Does the Minister of Finance prefer to deal with three caravans rather than housing for all Israeli citizens? (Photo: official website, no)
100 grace days is not a privilege reserved for a minister in Israel, least of all a finance minister, least of all a finance minister who took office at a time of global economic crisis, rising inflation, a slowdown in the high-tech industry that led the Israeli economy from strength to strength - and of course, the cost of living.
Smotrich could not have wished for a smoother entry into the position of Minister of Finance: Avigdor Lieberman, his predecessor in the post, left him a great legacy of budget surplus.
If some of his predecessors always knew how to complain about the "hole" left by the economy of their predecessor's elections in office, then Smotrich received a full pot, what is a full pot?
overflowing.
But it's not just the money: Smotrich received a treasury ministry that is very close to his right-wing economic worldview, not very far from Lieberman's (as Smotrich himself admitted, at the ministerial exchange ceremony).
With such opening data, one would hope that the new Minister of Finance will attack the challenges that lie before the Israeli economy: he will deepen the reforms that will encourage competition and reduce the cost of living, he will succeed in dismantling the powerful agricultural lobby, a task that Lieberman has already blown up some of the major barriers that stood in his way and he may even be free to try and succeed in what is currently seen as the biggest failure of the previous government, handling housing prices.
The press conference where a "plan" was presented to reduce the cost of living.
He managed to both give Netanyahu his moment of glory and keep the cash register.
It's a shame he didn't keep this line (Photo: Yanon Yatach)
Smotrich's first days in office actually inspired hope, especially when we remember his short tenure in the Ministry of Transportation (in contrast to the failed performance of Merav Michaeli in the same ministry), under whose leadership it was the only ministry that realized that the corona closures could be used for the accelerated promotion of infrastructure projects.
And what's more: the forced payment that was forced to pay for Netanyahu's election promises, mainly amounted to standing next to the prime minister at that puzzling press conference - as far as the public purse is concerned, Smotrich aligned with the budget department in his office.
One could hope that from there Smotrich's militancy will continue towards the 2023 budget and the Settlements Law, where he may find himself in direct conflict with his coalition partners, especially with the representatives of the ultra-orthodox parties who covet the public purse in a way that conflicts not only with his being the custodian of the state treasury, but even with his perception The economic one that holds that work and the acquisition of education should be encouraged and not state-funded idleness and idleness.
But precisely when he had all the conditions to stand as a striker in front of the goal and ask the goalkeeper, as they say in the neighborhood, which corner he prefers the ball to, it became clear that Smotrich's center of gravity was somewhere else altogether: in concern for the fate of an outpost that stood up and was evacuated within hours - not exactly the displacement of A settlement from its borders and people from their homes, but more of a childish insult for the speed with which the Minister of Defense and the Prime Minister pulled out the finger that Smotrich and his friends stuck in their eyes.
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Will those who hoped to receive the Smotrich "of transportation" receive that of the "Animal Parade"? (Photo: Image processing, Reuven Castro)
Apparently, here again is an expression of the split-personality (as a metaphor, not as a diagnosis of course) that Smotrich had to deal with every time someone outside his political camp dared to take him seriously: on the one hand, a sharp man with the ability to do things, on the other hand, he stumbles every time on something else, which has long been You can't just rely on political inexperience.
If this is the case, let's say - Smotrich will protest against the evacuation of an outpost that was established on the initiative of his friends (and on his own initiative?) just to challenge the government of which they themselves are members - and after he has finished showing everyone how committed he is to the far-right agenda, he will return to acting professionally in the office the more important one under his authority.
However, in the case of Smotrich, a concern creeps into the heart that should worry us all: Smotrich is the executor of ideas that took shape in the Ecclesiastical Forum.
In addition to ideological rigidity, this forum also demonstrates a pragmatic line designed to increase its political influence.
For example, he put aside issues concerning individual freedom so as not to harm the base of support for Hared Street.
In other words: when Smotrich neglects the treasury to play "annoyed" because of nonsense like a ghost outpost, he actually pushes the economic issues to the margins because he feels that in the eyes of his voters, he will be measured precisely by the political extremism he will demonstrate.
If this is indeed the goal, we should all be disturbed: the Treasury wished for the Smotrich of the Ministry of Transport - and received that of the cattle parade.
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Bezalel Smotrich
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Minister of Finance