After 12 hours of night-long debate in which the new Kadima-led Knesset Opposition proved it won't make things easy for the Government, the Knesset voted for a one-time, two-year budget that will serve the country until the end of 2010.

The final vote was 63-27, even though the coalition officially numbers 74 MKs.  Within Labor, four of the five “rebels” – those who object to Labor’s having entered the coalition – made sure not to be present for the final vote. Among the five, only MK Shelly Yechimovitch voted for the new law, explaining that it was merely a procedural matter.

The new budget will actually be valid for only 18 months, as it is not expected to be approved until the middle of this year. This, too, is stipulated by the new law, which nullifies the requirement to pass the budget within 45 days of the government's formation and extends this period until July. Until then, last year’s budget will remain in effect.

Filibuster of Speeches

The Opposition led a filibuster of speeches and objections against the various clauses of the new law. Each objection required its own vote, though a simple majority of the MKs present sufficed to defeat each one. This procedure forced the Government to retain at least 60 coalition party MKs in the Knesset throughout the night, in case the Opposition would suddenly decide to call an end to its filibuster and the matter would be brought for a vote. The Opposition MKs, however, were able to be more flexible – except for the notable exception of Opposition Leader Tzipi Livni, who remained in the Knesset plenum all night.

Objections

MKs of Kadima and Meretz objected to the two-year budget on several grounds.  Former Finance Minister Roni Bar-On said that there was no way to know what the country’s financial needs would be 18 months from now. 

Others accused Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of wanting to avoid Knesset supervision of government spending for double the normal time. One objection even suggested that the proposed law be called, “The Law to Deprive MKs of Their Job to Oversee Government Work.”

It was also claimed that the law governing the national budget is a Basic Law – a forerunner to the Constitution which some MKs are working very hard to form – and should not be changed so easily.

Defending the Double-Budget

Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz explained, “Not all, but most of the many dozens - if not hundreds - of experts with whom we consulted said that a two-year budget at this time is the right idea.” He added that a two-year budget provides the stability that is so important during these times of financial uncertainty.

Steinitz further said that the legislative change was a one-time affair, and therefore need not be considered tampering with a Basic Law.

Evaluating the Filibuster

Kadima MK Nachman Shai said afterwards, “Kadima has proven that it will be an active and biting Opposition, and it will do everything necessary to make sure that the Knesset will honor and preserve the rules of democracy.”

Speaking at the end of the marathon debate, Finance Minister Steinitz praised Livni and the Opposition: “With your gracious help, ‘sweetness has emerged from the bitter.’ This night-long session has made a contribution worth its weight in gold. It has given us an opportunity to show the citizens of Israel once again the severity of the emergency financial situation that requires unusual steps.”