Beyond Netanyahu: The Enduring Influence of Israel's Far-Right Ministers

As political opposition seeks to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from power, attention has shifted to the fate of the government's most hardline figures: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. While the broader cabinet has supported the war on Gaza and regional attacks, Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have become primary targets of international criticism and Western government sanctions.

The two ministers, leading the Religious Zionist Party and Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) respectively, have utilized their positions to push an agenda of Jewish supremacy and hardline Zionism. Smotrich has leveraged his control over the budget and the occupied West Bank to accelerate illegal settlement expansion, including the revival of the E1 settlement plan. Ben-Gvir has been accused of politicizing the Israeli police force and imposing severe restrictions on Palestinian prisoners.

Analysts suggest that removing these figures from government may not diminish their influence. Arie Perliger of the University of Massachusetts Lowell notes that while Smotrich's power is bureaucratic, Ben-Gvir's is populist and performative, meaning opposition might actually suit his political style. Furthermore, Roi Zur of Essex University points out that their movements represent roughly 10 percent of the Israeli electorate and remain stable.

The legacy of these ministers extends beyond policy to a cultural shift. Critics, including former member of parliament Aida Touma-Suleiman, argue that the current administration has normalized racism and apartheid, making discrimination against Palestinians a perceived mark of patriotism. This institutionalized hatred is reflected in the Gaza war, the neglect of Palestinian townships, and the passage of a death penalty law specifically targeting Palestinians.