The Israeli newspaper Calcalist said that in a controversial move, the Finance Committee in the Israeli Knesset agreed to transfer 248 million shekels ($68 million) to projects linked to the parties that make up the ruling coalition under what are called “coalition funds.”
This comes in light of major budget cuts and tax hikes expected for 2025, which sparked a wave of criticism regarding the government’s priorities, according to the newspaper.
Distribution of funds
The Calcalist newspaper reported that among the amounts allocated:
- 141 million shekels (about 39 million dollars) for the “Settlement Department” of Settlement Minister Orit Struck of the Religious Zionism Party.
- 64 million shekels ($18 million) to the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage headed by Meir Brosh of the United Torah Judaism party, in addition to funding amounting to 203 million shekels ($56 million) as a credit framework to support heritage activities in Jerusalem, including the Old City.
- NIS 39 million ($10.8 million) to the Ministry of Religious Services led by Michael Melchiali of the Shas party, which will be used to support shrine centers, Lag Ba Omer celebrations at Meron, religious courts, and the Supreme Rabbinical Council.
- 2.2 million shekels ($610,000) to support Sharia courts.
- 1.5 million shekels ($410,000) to support the Hebrew Law Unit of the Ministry of Justice.
Sharp criticism from the opposition
Representative Merav Cohen of the “There is a Future” party criticized the allocation of funds, and described the decision as “clear evidence of the distorted priorities of this government.”
Cohen added, “The budget is opened for the third time, the deficit is worsening, the credit rating is declining, and businesses in the north and south are collapsing, but the government’s priority is to allocate funds to the Orit Struk Settlement Department.”
Although the government approved these transfers last year, the money has not yet been disbursed due to the lack of necessary legal advice, according to the newspaper.
According to the instructions of the government’s legal advisor, each ministry must issue a legal opinion authorizing the transfer of these funds.
