Bezalel Smotrich took over as Israel’s finance minister on Sunday, pledging fiscal responsibility and a boost to competition while working to tackle high living costs at a time of elevated inflation and slowing global economic growth, Trend reports citing Reuters.
A host of ministries held changing of the guard ceremonies on Sunday after a new government of right wing and religious parties was sworn in last Thursday.
“Israel will be an island of stability and responsibility,” the 42-year old Smotrich told Reuters after the ceremony at the finance ministry.
He declined to give specifics of his planned fiscal policy, though acknowledged the country was entering a “challenging period” and repeated his belief in free markets driven by the business sector.