The new Netanyahu government has yet to be formed, but is already under heavy pressure from the Biden administration, according to senior Israeli journalist Barak Ravid.
Speaking with Radio 103FM Wednesday morning, Ravid, who covers foreign affairs for Walla! and Axios, said the White House has sent clear messages to Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu that the US will not support the appointment of Religious Zionist Party chairman Bezalel Smotrich as Defense Minister.
Ravid said that given the White House’s intense pressure, Smotrich is unlikely to be appointed as Defense Minister, though he acknowledged Netanyahu’s need for the Religious Zionist Party’s support in forming a new coalition government may overcome the Biden administration’s opposition.
“I tend to think that Smotrich will not be Defense Minister. Ten days ago, a senior American official told me that the identity of the next defense minister will have a huge impact on US-Israel relations.”
Ravid added that the official explicitly said his comments to the reporter were intended to pressure Netanyahu not to appoint Smotrich as Defense Minister.
“He said: ‘We expect Netanyahu to read this after you publish it.’ I think Netanyahu’s office got the message.”