Knesset Approves 2025 State Budget: 619 billion shekels- Clashes Erupt in Knesset Following Approval

The Israeli Knesset approved the 2025 state budget today (Tuesday) in a historic vote, passing both the second and third readings with 66 votes in favor and 52 against. At 619 billion shekels, the budget is the largest in Israel's history, with over 5 billion shekels earmarked for coalition funds directed toward the sectoral needs of the Haredi and Religious Zionism communities, as well as various tax increases and cuts to public services.

Immediately after the budget passed, opposition members erupted in protest. Waving signs depicting kidnapped individuals, they chanted "shame" in the Knesset chamber. MK Kariv confronted Prime Minister Netanyahu, presenting a picture of kidnapped Israeli citizen Matan Tsengauker, which Netanyahu accepted before leaving the plenary.

Smotrich Defends the Budget as "Responsible

In the wake of the budget's approval, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich defended the measure as necessary to respond to the challenges posed by the ongoing war. "The state budget we passed today is responsible and good, addressing the needs of the front and the home front," Smotrich said. Israel is facing the longest and most expensive war we have ever known, and we are up to the task."

Notably, MK Avi Maoz voted against the budget, and MK Aryeh Deri was absent. MK Iman Khatib Yassin also did not attend the vote.

Gafni Responds to Accusations Against the Haredi 

MK Moshe Gafni, chairman of the Finance Committee, took to the floor before the vote to counter accusations directed at the Haredi community. "Words have become weapons," Gafni said, criticizing public discourse that targets the Haredi public. "History has taught us where such discourse leads. We cannot allow an entire population to be erased simply because it lives differently."

Gafni dismissed claims that the Haredi community is unfairly benefiting from inflated budgets, calling such rhetoric dangerous incitement. "The Haredi public is not an enemy. It is an inseparable part of this people," he asserted.

Opposition Slams the Budget

Opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the budget as a "thieves' budget," accusing Netanyahu of distancing himself from it. "This budget brings us dangerously close to the point where this country will not be able to sustain itself," Lapid warned.

Amid the budget debate, Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf resigned from his position in the Prime Minister's Office, and Deputy Minister Avi Maoz also stepped down. Despite these resignations, the coalition remains secure, with a majority of 67 Knesset members. Both Goldknopf and Maoz's resignations are not expected to impact the budget's passage significantly.

What Comes Next for the Government?

The passage of the 2025 state budget is expected to solidify the coalition's stability for the coming year, reducing the likelihood of government collapse. With the budget now approved, the only path to dissolving the Knesset would be through a majority vote to disband the legislature or a constructive vote of no confidence, which requires the support of at least 61 members of the Knesset.