Knesset set to pass 2023-2024 budget this week

The day before the Knesset is due to give final approval to the 2023-2024 budget, Finance Ministry sources believe it will pass despite the objections of coalition and opposition members. Sources expect there will be a disruption Tuesday night into the wee hours of Wednesday morning with vehement objections to complying with last-minute budget demands put forward by United Torah Jews President Yitzhak Goldknopf and Otzma Yehudit President Itamar Ben Gvir. And Chairman of the Board of Directors, Noam Avi Maoz.

The Finance Ministry makes it clear that there is no possibility to add funds to comply with the politicians’ demands because the 2023-2024 budget proposal has already been approved by the Knesset Finance Committee for its second and third readings this week. This comes after the financial allocations for the coalition have already been expanded and increased to 13.6 billion shekels from the state budget. Finance Ministry officials already feel that they have had to meet excessive demands, especially from Haredi Parties and for purposes contrary to the official policy of the Ministry – Encouraging growth.

It is estimated that coalition members did not vote against the budget

It is estimated that in the end none of the members of the coalition will vote against the budget, despite the protests. Failure to pass the budget by the end of the month will lead to the dissolution of the Knesset and a news election, which will entail more risks than opportunities for most coalition parties. However, it is possible that agreements will be reached between the parties on a compensation mechanism, for politicians who “lose” their claims, on transfers through Knesset committees.

According to one of the sources, the dispute over the budget with Ben Gvir differs from the dispute with Goldknopf and Maoz due to the current tensions between National Security Minister Ben Gvir and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to the source, Netanyahu has no interest in further strengthening Ben Gvir, and he is annoyed by the way Ben Gvir is trying to “around him on the right” on security issues.

In recent weeks, Ben Gvir has not been invited to assess the security situation, and one of the reasons for Netanyahu’s request to submit budget approval in the Knesset for a week (a request the Prime Minister’s Office denies) is to avoid a situation in which Ben Gvir is putting Netanyahu in a corner at the moment. The latter requires additional requirements.

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on May 22, 2023.

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