Interview

Smotrich: "Scared to Death" of Eisenkot

Finance minister launches attacks on Ofer Winter, jabs at Ben-Gvir and Barkat, and warns of opposition win in upcoming elections

Eliana Fleming

SEP 10, 2026 19:30

2 min read

Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party chairman Bezalel Smotrich launched a multi-front offensive in an interview with Yehuda Schlesinger and Barak Seri at Walla, addressing the independent run of Res. Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter at the head of the "Amcha Yisrael" party and the strained relations within the right-wing bloc.

Smotrich dismissed the extensive media coverage surrounding Winter's new party and belittled its chances of entering the next Knesset. "The media is inflating Winter, his chances of passing the threshold approach zero," he said.

When asked about his former partner and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Smotrich chose to jab at his working style and clarify the difference in their worldviews. "I prefer doing over campaigns," he stated.

Later in the interview, he sent another barb, this time toward Economy Minister Nir Barkat of the Likud faction, when addressing the cost-of-living issue and organizational pressures in his ministry. "I don't have a magic solution for the cost of living, I'm not Barkat," he quipped.

Alongside the internal attacks within the bloc, Smotrich expressed grave concern about the possibility of a political decision in favor of the opposition and Gadi Eisenkot's leadership on election day. "About the possibility that Eisenkot will win – I'm scared to death," the minister admitted, adding a sharp warning regarding the legal system under an alternative government: "We'll still miss Baharav-Miara."