Netanyahu
NetanyahuReuters

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told the leaders of the Administration of Religious Education during a meeting with Coalition Chairman Miki Zohar that he intends to fulfill his promise to resolve the budgetary issues facing religious Zionist education in Israel.

Netanyahu said during the meeting that he had decided not to provide for the Administration of Religious Education's budget through the coalition budget as has been done previously. "Religious Zionism is an organic part [of the State of Israel] and should not be allowed to go bankrupt," he said.

"This is a national move which will become a permanent budget item and pave the way to long-term inclusion [of the Administration of Religious Education's budget]," the prime minister promised.

Jerusalem Affairs Minister Rabbi Rafi Peretz said in response that he "thanks Prime Minister Netanyahu for his agreement to introduce the Administration of Religious Education's budget into the base budget."

"The budget for education should not be dependent on coalition funds and religious Zionism should not have to beg for a budget every year. This is good," Rabbi Peretz wrote on Twitter.