Israel’s Finance Minister and leader of the far-right Religious Zionism Party, Bezalel Smotrich, has announced his resignation and return to the Knesset (parliament) as a member.

Axar.az reports citing the Times of Israel, in a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announces his resignation as a cabinet minister and his resumption of his seat as a member of Knesset for his far right Religious Zionism party, before being reappointed to his ministerial roles.

By reclaiming his status as an MK, Smotrich would push Otzma Yehudit MK Yitzhak Kroizer out of parliament. When Amichai Eliyahu became heritage minister in 2023, Kroizer became an MK under the so-called Norwegian Law, which allows ministers and deputy ministers from large factions to resign from the Knesset, with their seats filled by members of their parties.

In a statement, Religious Zionism says that the move comes in response to Otzma Yehudit chief and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s “violation of the agreements” between him, Smotrich, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.