Amid embarrassment Smotrich cuts short overseas trip

• Published date: 16 March 2023
• Publication title: Globes (Rishon LeZion, Israel)

Smotrich's office said that the Minister of Finance is returning to Israel, "In order to support legislative procedures amd talks on the judicial reform." Smotrich is considered one of the leading supporters of the judicial overhaul as the leaders of the party of Constitution Committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman who is implementing the fast-track legislative process. According to estimates, Smotrich may tried to push forward with a compromise on some of the procedures

Smotrich had planned to continue from the US to Panama for a meeting of South American finance ministers and then visit Paris before returning home in another week.

Above and beyond the judicial reform legislation, it seems that the quicker than planned return of Smotrich is connected to the failure of his state visit so far. Senior members of the US administration refused to meet Israel's Minister of Finance, mainly because he had called on the "state to wipe out Huwara," although he subsequently expressed regret over his comments.

With official US representatives unwilling to be seen with him...