The government of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu passed the state budget for 2023 and 2024 in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The budget was passed in its second and third readings with 64 MKs voting in favor versus 56 MKs who voted against it. The state budget for 2023 is NIS 484 billion and in 2024 it will be NIS 514 billion. The new budget allocates nearly $4 billion in discretionary funds, much of it for chareidim and pro-yishuv parties. That will include increases in controversial stipends for chareidim to learn in yeshiva instead of working or serving in the military. It also includes more money for chareidi schools. The funds also include tens of millions of dollars for officials to promote pet projects through the ministries they control. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said he hopes to double the population of West Bank yishuvim in the coming years. Following the vote, Netanyahu told reporters that “this is the dawn of a new day.” Netanyahu later wrote on Twitter: ‘We won the elections, we passed a budget. We continue for four good years.” In the video below, an elated Netanyahu thanks the members of his government for the achievement, first and foremost Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich. תודה רבה לכולכם! pic.twitter.com/ZJdOR4ZgG8 — Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) May 24, 2023 תקציב 2023 עבר. ממשיכים. pic.twitter.com/xejdJbLqSj — בצלאל סמוטריץ' (@bezalelsm) May 23, 2023 (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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