Israeli Treasury Seeks to Transfer 78 Million Shekels to Ministry of Religious Affairs Amid Opposition Blockade

The Israeli Treasury has requested the Finance Committee to approve a transfer of 78 million shekels to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, along with an additional 17.5 million shekels in credit authorization. These funds are allocated for various religious sector needs, including 18 million shekels for rabbinical courts, 26.8 million for religious services, and 8.5 million for religious councils. This move comes despite the Knesset's dissolution ahead of the July 16, 2026 elections.

Opposition members, led by Knesset Finance Committee member Vladimir Beliak from the Yesh Atid party, have vowed to block the committee's convening to approve this and other coalition budget requests, citing the unnecessary expansion of the Ministry of Religious Affairs' budget. Beliak revealed that the ministry's director-general, Yehuda Avidan, personally requested his approval last week, which he refused, emphasizing the ministry's growing budget year after year.

Last Wednesday, the Finance Committee approved budget reallocations totaling billions of shekels from 2025 to 2026 and numerous budget requests. However, the opposition employed a filibuster, questioning the explanations for many requests and demanding repeated votes, which prolonged the session. The committee's legal advisor eventually halted the meeting at 7:30 p.m., citing the need to conclude election recess sessions promptly. Consequently, 124 million shekels for the Settlement Division and 268 million shekels for ultra-Orthodox education were not approved.

The coalition seeks to reconvene the Finance Committee to approve these transfers, but opposition members remain determined to prevent the discussion. Other approved transfers include approximately 77 million shekels from the Prime Minister's Office and government housing budget for coordination activities in the West Bank, aimed at archaeological preservation and development under the supervision of the Civil Administration's archaeology unit. Additional funds totaling about 35 million shekels were allocated from various ministries for similar purposes.

Furthermore, 11 million shekels were transferred from several ministries to cover development expenses related to commemorating Ze'ev Jabotinsky's legacy, promoting the heritage of Soviet Jewry, and preserving the Mamilla Pool in Jerusalem. Around 170 million shekels were also allocated to the Ministry of Culture and Sport to support public cultural institutions, increase funding for public corporations, and implement budgetary agreements related to Torah research institutes.