Coalition head MK Miki Zohar (Likud) has ignited a storm of controversy in today's meeting of the Knesset Finance Committee, by demanding the inclusion of several new clauses into legislation for postponing the final date by which the state budget must be passed.
One of his demands is that the legislation include a budgeting flexibility of five percent in order to deal with emergencies, if necessary. He is also demanding funding for programs for at-risk youth that are in danger of collapsing due to the ongoing failure to pass a budget, and for programs for the Religious-Zionist sector that have been frozen for the same reason. Zohar also wants NIS 400 million to be granted to the yeshivas as part of their budget allowance which would have already been transferred to them if the budget had been passed.