Israeli Coalition Advances Hundreds of Millions in Funding for Haredi and Settlement Ministries During Knesset Recess

The Israeli Finance Ministry announced a series of budget transfers to be discussed in a special Finance Committee session scheduled for Wednesday during the Knesset recess. Opposition members have declared strong opposition to several of these planned transfers, citing concerns over political exploitation ahead of elections.

Among the key transfers is an additional 16.5 million shekels allocated as coalition funds to the "School of the Big Freedom" for Haredi exempt institutions. Opposition MKs Vladimir Beliak and Naor Shiri have formally requested the government legal advisor Gali Baharav-Miara, as well as legal advisors from the Finance Ministry and Finance Committee, to halt a further planned transfer of 117 million shekels to the Ministry of Settlement and National Missions. They warned this could be politically motivated misuse of public funds during the election period.

Beliak criticized the coalition for attempting to distribute hundreds of millions in coalition funds during the election campaign under a caretaker government, calling it an attempt to misuse public money for sectarian political purposes against the broader public interest. He demanded a thorough legal review of all politically sensitive budget transfers before committee approval.

Additional transfers expected for approval include 32.5 million shekels for archaeology in the West Bank, 75 million shekels to the Ministry of Heritage (including 11.5 million shekels in commitment authorization), and over one billion shekels to the Defense Ministry. Defense funds cover expenses from the "Roar of the Lion" operation, enhanced security components, and trials of Negev terrorists.

Other transfers include 26.2 million shekels for dropout prevention programs, 71.8 million shekels for the national service framework in education, 16.2 million shekels to increase subsidies for after-school programs in Haredi institutions, 30.4 million shekels for religious education administration, 12.5 million shekels for Jewish Haredi culture, and various smaller allocations supporting yeshiva recruitment, Torah institutions, and coordination bodies in religious education.

The Finance Committee's session during the Knesset recess highlights ongoing political tensions over budget allocations to sensitive sectors such as the Haredi community and settlement activities amid the upcoming elections.