New finance minister commits to tackling rising cost of living, maintaining budgetary discipline and fiscal restraint; says not all decisions will be popular

Funds to help flagging businesses and cover projects to encourage re-hiring of laid off workers; total aid package now stands at NIS 100 billion

Coalition agreement includes 32 ministers for emergency government, swelling to 36 at end of coronavirus crisis; foreign and energy portfolios to rotate

Deputy chief economist at the Finance Ministry says economy will post negative growth of 2% this year; good news is, when recovery comes, it will probably be fast