Smotrich's Brother against Ben-Gvir: "A thug and a populist"

Tuvia Smotrich, the brother of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, sharply criticized Minister Itamar Ben Gvir following his announcement about a prayer gathering in response to the violent harassment by left-wing protesters against religious Jews on Yom Kippur. In a tweet on his personal Twitter ('X') account, Smotrich wrote, "Again and again, Ben-Gvir is the rejected child who one day returned to the neighborhood with a brawl. A populist with zero national responsibility who is interested in nothing except his own ego."

Smotrich's tweet continued, "His rise to the front stage is perhaps the most disastrous outcome for Israeli society of the boycott against Bibi (Benjamin Netanyahu) and the disruption he has created in Israeli democracy."

This sharp exchange comes after Ben-Gvir announced that he would hold a mass evening prayer gathering in response to the violent harassment by left-wing activists against religious Jews at Dizengoff Square on Yom Kippur. Ben-Gvir emphasized the importance of the Jewish identity of Israel and its democratic values in his response.