Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana Bypasses Opposition to Approve Controversial Budget Transfers to Haredi and Settlement Institutions

The Knesset Finance Committee is set to convene on Tuesday to approve the transfer of hundreds of millions of shekels despite opposition resistance, which is normally required to convene the committee during the recess. This unusual move was enabled by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana invoking an emergency clause in the Knesset regulations that allows bypassing the Committee of Arrangements. This rare procedure has prompted Knesset members Naama Lazimi and Orit Farkash-Hacohen to announce plans to petition the Supreme Court against the decision.

Clause 112b of the Knesset regulations permits the Speaker to authorize committee meetings during recess in special cases, typically emergencies, upon request by the committee chair, government, or one-third of committee members. Although the current situation is not a wartime emergency, the Knesset legal advisor, Attorney Shagit Afik, reluctantly approved the committee meeting. The Finance Committee will discuss disputed budget transfers amounting to 392 million shekels, plus nearly 100 million shekels more, primarily allocated to the Ministry of Settlement and National Missions led by Minister Orit Strook, religious institutions, Haredi organizations, and teacher salaries.

Initially, the legal advice limited discussion to six transfers approved in advance by the Knesset Committee, justified as essential for ongoing ministry operations, such as teacher payments and IT systems. The opposition had previously filibustered for over ten hours to block the transfers. Knesset members Lazimi, Farkash-Hacohen, and the NGO Adalah sent an urgent appeal to cancel the meeting, accusing the outgoing coalition of circumventing election recess rules and inventing "continuation discussions" to push through new budget requests without proper approval.

The coalition seeks approval for 268 million shekels to Torah institutions and non-core educational bodies, 78 million shekels to the Settlement Ministry for Jewish culture and settlement activities, and additional millions to the Ministry of Religious Services and religious councils. Lazimi condemned the move as a blatant election bribery attempt and administrative corruption, warning of a Supreme Court challenge if the legal advisor does not intervene. Farkash-Hacohen called the discussion illegal and a misuse of public resources during wartime for political bribery. Attorney Dr. Yifat Solel described the coalition's actions as unlawful attempts to allocate sectarian and political funds after the Knesset recess, violating the requirement for restraint and consensus during this period.