Israeli Supreme Court Freezes Budget Transfers to Haredi Education Approved by Finance Committee

The Israeli Supreme Court has issued an interim order freezing budget transfers totaling approximately 250 million shekels to the Haredi education system, which were approved by the Knesset Finance Committee the previous day. The freeze, ordered by Judge Alex Stein, halts all transfers except for those related to civil emergency expenses. The court cited procedural flaws in the committee's discussion as the reason for the injunction. The petition challenging the transfers will be heard soon by a three-judge panel, with preliminary responses already requested from the respondents.

The budget approval included additional funding specifically for Haredi kindergarten teachers. The Finance Committee chairman, MK Hanoch Milwitsky, strongly criticized the Supreme Court's decision, accusing it of lacking regulation and calling for the court to be shut down and replaced by a constitutional court. Milwitsky expressed frustration over what he described as conservative judges interfering with parliamentary decisions.

This development highlights ongoing tensions between the judiciary and legislative branches in Israel regarding budgetary authority and procedural legitimacy. The Supreme Court's intervention temporarily blocks the Finance Committee's budgetary allocations pending further judicial review.