Ramzy Baroud | In Israel’s right-wing parties, racism is an important prerequisite to succeed in politics. | By his own admission, Israel’s new Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is a "fascist homophobe." This declaration, which he made on January 16, should be enough to accentuate the violent nature of the new political concoction created by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last December. ● In recent months, Smotrich has become internationally famous, not because of his financial genius that could resolve Israel’s impending financial problems as a result of the weakening of the country’s legal system. Nor does the man have the answers, or even interest, in confronting Israel’s inherent socio-economic equality. None of this. Smotrich is mostly popular for his racism.