Slovenia's newly formed conservative government has officially lifted its entry ban on Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. While European borders reopen to him, podcasters are focusing on his long-term grip on Israeli politics. On The Tucker Carlson Show, Israeli journalist Gideon Levy warned that the harsh realities of the occupation will persist under this leadership, noting that "this is not only Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir and Smotrich. It started much before. They did it worse, much worse".
Host Tucker Carlson shifted the focus to how these hardline positions resonate abroad, questioning the alignment between Israeli leaders and their American backers. Carlson noted that "we have a number of high-profile supporters of Israel in the United States who have the same positions as Smotrich and Ben-Gvir and Netanyahu", raising questions about whether the Israeli public actually cares about this lockstep ideological backing.
Despite the grim outlook, Levy expressed a defiant commitment to remaining in the region, even as the political landscape hardens. "With those Smotrichs will continue, who knows? But no, no, I stay here." As Smotrich regains diplomatic mobility in Europe, the debate over his international influence and the longevity of his far-right coalition will only intensify.