image sourced from original article at The Knesset approved the 2026 state budget in its final reading, preventing the collapse of the government and avoiding early elections that would have been triggered if the bill had not passed before the legal deadline. Elections remain scheduled for October. The spending plan passed by a vote of 62 to 55 after more than 14 hours of opposition delays and repeated interruptions due to missile sirens.
The 850.6 billion shekel budget, equivalent to 271 billion dollars, is the largest in the country's history. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the plan addresses the cost of living and supports all citizens, while Opposition Leader Yair Lapid condemned it as 'the greatest theft in the history of the state.'
Defense spending will reach a record level, with more than 142 billion shekels allocated to the Defense Ministry, along with additional income-dependent expenditures and long-term commitments. Late amendments reportedly directed hundreds of millions of shekels toward priorities of ultra-Orthodox parties, adding to the political tensions surrounding the vote.
