Israeli Finance Committee Approves Hundreds of Millions for Political Allocations Amid Election Recess

Despite the Knesset being dissolved and the country in an election recess, the Israeli Finance Committee is set to convene on Wednesday to approve budget reallocations totaling approximately 16 billion shekels. Of this amount, around 653 million shekels are coalition funds primarily directed toward ultra-Orthodox and settler communities. Key allocations include 124 million shekels to the Settlement Ministry led by Minister Ayelet Shaked's successor, Orit Strook of the Religious Zionism party, and 75 million shekels to the Heritage Ministry under Amichai Eliyahu from Otzma Yehudit.

Opposition members on the committee, including Vladimir Beliak, Naor Shiri, and Orit Farkash-Hacohen, have criticized the move as exceeding the committee's authority during an election recess. Last week, Beliak and Shiri petitioned the legal advisor to halt some transfers, citing concerns the funds could be used for political purposes during the election period. They have also threatened to bring the matter to the Supreme Court.

The committee is reviewing 33 funding requests, some submitted within the last 24 hours. Besides the coalition funds, significant allocations include 76.6 million shekels for employment programs targeting specific populations, mainly ultra-Orthodox, 71.8 million for national service in education, and nearly 69 million for non-official religious education institutions affiliated with Shas and Agudat Yisrael. Additional funds support religious education, teacher training, school construction mainly in the ultra-Orthodox sector, and cultural initiatives.

This budget approval process highlights ongoing political maneuvering in the final days before the upcoming elections, with coalition parties securing substantial financial resources for their constituencies despite the parliamentary dissolution.