Israel’s Knesset approves over 30 billion shekels in additional funding for the war
Al-Khamisa News Network - Gaza
The Knesset voted on Wednesday evening in a first reading on a series of cuts to finance an addition of more than 30 billion shekels to the “war budget”.
The measure was supported by Knesset members from the Shas party, while members of United Torah Judaism were absent or abstained from voting, enabling the bill’s passage despite tensions in the coalition with the ultra-Orthodox parties.
Forty-two members of the Knesset backed the supplementary 2025 budget bill, while 37 opposed it. The bill will later be referred to a Knesset committee to determine which parliamentary committee will examine it.
Under the new law, the state’s budget framework for 2025 will be raised by up to 30.8 billion shekels against the backdrop of heightened military activity, including the war on Iran.
The increase will be allocated to the Ministry of Security, National Insurance funds, other security expenditures, and interest payments and commissions.
The law also sets the 2025 budget at 786.7 billion shekels (net), divided into 578.8 billion shekels for ordinary expenditures and 207.9 billion shekels for development and capital items.
The accompanying explanatory memorandum said the amendment is based on a government decision issued on Aug. 19 to amend the Fiscal Framework Law, allowing the government to raise the spending ceiling by an additional 30.8 billion shekels to cover security needs.
