Israel Election 2026: What does Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionist Party stand for?

Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionist Party (RZP), is a key player in the upcoming 2026 Israeli election. The RZP, a far-right, religious-nationalist party, is focused on Jewish identity, settlement expansion, and Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank. Smotrich, the Finance Minister, intends to run RZP independently in the upcoming election, rejecting the possibility of forming a government with Arab parties.

Smotrich's party is committed to strengthening Jewish identity, security, and the end of the land division. During his tenure as head of the Settlements Administration, he has pushed for expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The RZP has also supported controversial haredi-backed legislation, such as a bill to enshrine Torah study in Israel's Basic Law and legislation to freeze the arrests of haredi draft evaders.

However, the party's stance on judicial reform has been mixed, with Smotrich supporting significant restructuring of the judicial system, including limiting the Supreme Court's ability to intervene in government decisions.