At the conclusion of a stormy Knesset session, the Knesset approved the first reading of the law proposal encouraging capital investment. The law will encourage company tax reductions on income from when the companies were tax-free. Countering harsh left wing castigation, Finance Minister Yuval Shteinitz defended the law, stating “Enough denouncement of loyal Treasury public servants. Mofaz approved much higher taxes while he was in the government.”