Bezalel Smotrich
Bezalel SmotrichSraya Diamant/Flash90

Religious Zionism chief MK Bezalel Smotrich wants to lead the Israeli right-wing, Haaretz columnist Anshel Pfeffer claimed Thursday in an opinion article.

In his op-ed, Pfeffer wrote that unlike Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, "who remembered to complain about the judicial system only when it brought him to trial, Smotrich really believes in this."

And unlike Yamina Chairman MK Naftali Bennett, "who doesn't stop apologizing," he continued, "Smotrich really doesn't apologize to anyone."

"These are Smotrich's best days. For the first time, he has a large support base of his own, and he's not too worried by the thought that Netanyahu will fail to form a government and that he will be left on the benches of the opposition. It's true that he very much enjoyed the 11 months when he was Transportation Minister, and according to professional sources even proved that he is an effective minister who is dedicated to his office's issues. But he aspires to much greater plans.

"If his former partner and current rival Naftali Bennett has really joined together with the centrist and leftist parties in order to end Netanyahu's rule, a new space will be created for Smotrich - who is the only right-wing leader who was not tempted to cooperate with the Arabs, 'Israel's enemies.'

"He is right now laying the infrastructure for a new Israeli right."

Pfeffer continued, "It's true that Naftali Bennett was the first to run with the slogan, 'Stop apologizing,' but Bennett has a human need to be loved by everyone, and he doesn't stop apologizing. Smotrich really doesn't apologize to anyone, not even to Netanyahu's supporters. He's not looking to lead just Religious Zionism, but the entire Israeli Right."

"Unlike Netanyahu, who only uses racist incitement as a political tool and remembered to complain about the judicial system only when it brought him to trial, Smotrich really believes in this. He's the only leader who is not embarrassed to offer the Right exactly what he wants in his heart of hearts: To banish the enemy - the Arab and the judicial [system]."