Bezalel Smotrich, the Israeli finance minister, had drawn rebukes from the Biden administration for his opposition to a cease-fire in Gaza and his support for Jewish settlers in the West Bank.
Under the Biden administration, Israel’s far-right finance minister was the rare Israeli official whom the United States rebuked by name for his views, like his opposition to a cease-fire in Gaza.
Under the Trump administration, he is a welcome guest in Washington, where top U.S. officials are now aligning with some of his beliefs about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The minister, Bezalel Smotrich, met with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday, remarking in a statement about his embrace after years of being effectively shunned.
“After four years during which, under the Biden administration, there was no ministerial-level meeting between the U.S. Treasury Department and the Israeli government, we are now entering the Treasury Department,” Mr. Smotrich said. He called Wednesday’s meeting “very important.”
After it concluded, Mr. Smotrich posted on social media a picture of himself shaking hands with Mr. Bessent. The two officials issued a joint statement, saying they had agreed to “enhance collaboration” on issues including economic policy, technology and financial regulation.
“This is a critical time to shape a new strategic economic future for both countries, reinforcing American global leadership and Israel’s role as a key economic partner,” the statement said.