Israeli Finance Committee Approves Hundreds of Millions for Haredi Sector and Settlements Amid Election Recess

The Israeli Finance Committee is currently holding a controversial session during the election recess to approve billions of shekels in additional budget transfers, including coalition funds, some of which were not approved last week. Opposition members filed a petition with the Supreme Court to halt these budget transfers, but the session has already begun, and it is unlikely a stop order will be issued before the majority of the requested transfers are approved.

A last-minute urgent transfer of funds to northern settlements sparked further debate, with coalition members claiming the opposition only agreed at the last moment, while opposition members said they promptly responded positively to the Finance Ministry's request. The committee, chaired by MK Hanoch Milwiczky, is discussing transfers totaling hundreds of millions of shekels to the Haredi sector and settlement activities.

The proposed allocations include 85 million shekels for religious institutions, 72 million for national service, 54 million for Haredi kindergarten teachers, 57 million for Haredi seminaries, 33 million for exempt institutions, 32 million for yeshivas, 30 million for the Settlement Division, and additional funds for holy sites, dropout prevention, at-risk youth, rabbinical courts, and cultural activities.

In total, 392 million shekels that were not approved in last weekend's session are now up for approval, primarily for the Ministry of Settlement and National Missions led by Minister Orit Strook, religious institutions, and Haredi organizations, including teacher salaries. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana intervened using an emergency clause in the Knesset rules to bypass the committee of agreements and allow the Finance Committee to convene during the recess, a rare and exceptional move.

Legal counsel to the Knesset, Attorney Shagit Afik, permitted the committee to meet under this clause, despite the absence of a true emergency like wartime funding. The approval was based on urgent needs such as teacher payments and critical IT systems in ministries. If approved, the budget for the Ministry of National Missions and Settlement will reach a record 821 million shekels this year, with an additional 944 million authorized for future commitments, surpassing the budgets of 15 other government ministries.

Additionally, 54 million shekels will be allocated to kindergarten teachers following a legal challenge, and 69 million shekels will be transferred again to "recognized but unofficial" Haredi educational institutions that do not teach core curriculum subjects. The total budget for Haredi education alone will reach 306 million shekels. This occurs despite the Finance Ministry's recent explanation that budget deficits prevent reducing fuel taxes by half a shekel.