Uri Maklev
Uri MaklevHillel Meir/ TPS

MK Uri Maklev (UTJ) sent a clear message to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that if passing a one-year budget would lead to new elections, his party would not support it.

"If a one-year budget will lead to new elections, we will not support it," he warned. "We will not help bring about elections."

"If there is a law to push off the deadline for submitting the budget, we will not be a part of it."

A Reshet Bet journalist quoted senior officials in the haredi UTJ and Shas parties, who told Netanyahu that calling new elections due to the disagreement over the budget may lead to their refusal to support Netanyahu during the next elections and an end to their longstanding cooperation with Netanyahu. Such a move would be a fulfillment of their promise to Defense Minister Benny Gantz and the Blue and White party that they would ensure that the coalition agreements were kept and do everything possible to prevent new elections.

In an interview with Kan News, Maklev spoke about allowing students from abroad to enter Israel for the next school year.

"All of the statistics provided regarding how they arrive in Israel are not true," he said. "It's part of an ugly political issue. They help the country's economy. There are no other people like these, who come for long periods and create an economy around themselves."