Israeli Supreme Court Halts Transfer of Hundreds of Millions to Haredi Groups and Settlement Ministry

The Israeli Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the transfer of hundreds of millions of shekels approved by the Knesset for the Haredi community and the Ministry of Settlement. The funds, authorized just before the upcoming elections during the parliamentary recess, include 335 million shekels for the Settlement Ministry, 72 million for Jewish culture, 26 million to prevent yeshiva dropout, 26 million for Shas youth, and 32 million for after-school programs and summer schools for Haredi children.

The decision came after a petition was filed to the Supreme Court alleging procedural irregularities in the Knesset Finance Committee's approval of the funds. Supreme Court Justice Alex Stein issued an interim order freezing most of the budget transfers pending a hearing before a three-judge panel, which will be scheduled soon. The state must submit its response two days before the hearing. However, Stein allowed the release of funds designated for civil emergency expenses.

Finance Committee Chairman Hanoch Milwitsky from the Likud party criticized the court's intervention, calling for the closure of the Supreme Court and the establishment of a constitutional court. The committee's approval of the funds during the recess, despite opposition objections and contrary to usual election period practices, sparked controversy and legal challenges. The petition was submitted by Knesset member Naama Lazimi of the Democratic Party and the NGO Hadash.