Government sends 2026 budget to Knesset after delays caused by coalition infighting |
Israel’s Finance Ministry said on Monday it delivered the 2026 state budget draft to the Knesset ahead of a preliminary vote on Wednesday, though the plan’s prospects are clouded by political fractures that have strained the ruling coalition.
Delayed by political infighting, the cabinet last month approved the spending plan for this year after defense outlays were raised to NIS 112 billion ($35.45 billion) from an initial NIS 90 billion.
Other major reforms included in the 2026 budget are a proposed loosening of tariffs on dairy imports, as well as an NIS 30 ($10) tax on e-cigarettes, marking the first attempt by an Israeli government to regulate the burgeoning market.
The budget, as well as an accompanying economic plan, faces an uphill battle for approval as the government has become increasingly polarized. By law, it must be approved by the end of March, or an election would be triggered.
Knesset Legal Adviser Sagit Afik informed lawmakers Sunday that the first........