News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has threatened to fire government ministers who fail to support the government if the 2008-09 state budget passes.

Olmert said he would respect "different positions and opinions expressed" in the debate about the budget, but warned that rebel ministers would not be tolerated following the final vote. "Whoever embarks on a struggle against the government's final position cannot continue to be a minister in this government. I want that to be absolutely clear," he said.

The government is set to discuss two budget proposals, both featuring massive cuts for public agencies. The first calls for NIS 2.1 billion in defense cuts, NIS 117 million in social welfare programs and a NIS 30 million slash in funding for local governments. The second would reduce the defense cut to NIS 900 million, but would increase the blow to social welfare funding to  NIS 1.2 billion and NIS 160 million for local government