Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has rejected an ultimatum from Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, who heads the Ashkenazic-haredi United Torah Judaism party, demanding that the Draft Law pass before the budget is voted on.
"Not happening," Smotrich wrote on X.
A statement by the Prime Minister's Office on the matter clarified that "during the government meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich clarified that the State budget must pass on time, in accordance with the principles of the budget which were already agreed upon. The Prime Minister requested that the ministers meet for negotiations with the Finance Ministry ahead of the Thursday discussion."
Smotrich noted that the budget is challenging due to the war, and that fiscal responsibility is needed on the part of all ministers, in order to allow the economy to recover and grow at the end of the war. Both Netanyahu and Smotrich told the ministers that they "expect them to understand the call of the hour and lend a hand to it," the statement added.
Earlier, Ynet reported that during a Monday meeting of the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, Goldknopf voted against a Likud bill. At the same time, he demanded that the government secretariat reject the vote for the budget, which was planned for Thursday.
The Sephardic-haredi Shas party is not a partner to the demand, and prefers to handle the Draft Law discussions after the budget is passed.
On Sunday, haredi MKs boycotted the Ministerial Committee for Legislation vote, angry at the fact that the Likud is not advancing the Draft Law.
Last month, reports said that agreements had been reached on the bill, and Goldknopf clarified that it needed to pass before Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year).