Minister of Finance Yisrael Katz (Likud) has rebuked the Blue and White party for what he sees as its efforts to prevent a reduction in the salaries of the president, prime minister, cabinet ministers, and Knesset members.
In January, Knesset members voted to increase their salary to 45,000 NIS or nearly $13,000 per month, more than four times the salary of the average Israeli, plus car.
According to the National Insurance Institute (BItuach Leumi), 2 million Israelis live in poverty, including 800,000 children.