Budget
![Government during the final budget vote.](https://images.jfeed.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=jpeg,fit=contain,width=700/2024/03/13/ac7288b0-e14e-11ee-87ff-7f8f8e59a688__h3851_w5774.jpg)
Minister Avi Dichter previously threatened to vote no, but ultimately changed his mind and voted in favor of the budget bill.
![Knesset Finance Committee approves raising VAT to 18% to cover wartime shortfall](https://images.jfeed.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=jpeg,fit=contain,width=300/2024/02/20/1d6df140-cfec-11ee-aa6e-77968757f996__h3704_w6000.jpg)
Israel-Gaza War, Taxes
The tax increase now goes to the Knesset for a second and third vote. Members of the committee, including on the coalition, criticized the move as too easy and harming the weakest members of society.
![Amended Budget for 2023 Passes Final Vote](https://images.jfeed.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=jpeg,fit=contain,width=300/2023/12/14/6719e3c0-9a82-11ee-8e6a-8375fec8ebd5__h4000_w6000.jpg)
Israel-Gaza War, Budget, Economy
The Knesset plenum passed the amended budget for 2023 in a final vote, allowing the continued funding of the war effort and providing for the civilian rear. The opposition and State Camp parties voted against.
![Budget a "serious error." MK Yuli Edelstein.](https://images.jfeed.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=jpeg,fit=contain,width=300/2023/12/06/52f46860-9439-11ee-bc33-7941d28036f3__h331_w650.jpg)
Israel-Gaza War, Budget, Economy
The Knesset Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman sharply criticized the budget outline for 2023 as a "serious error."
![Nir Barkat.](https://images.jfeed.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=jpeg,fit=contain,width=300/2023/12/06/81b72fe0-941e-11ee-8914-e3c659c1040a__h331_w650.jpg)
Israel-Gaza War, Budget, Economy
Minister Barkat also said that if businesses in the combat zones collapse and don't survive the war, it will amount to a Hamas victory.
!["A time of national emergency." Rightwing figures appeal to Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich.](https://images.jfeed.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=jpeg,fit=contain,width=300/2023/11/20/b43fe9c0-87b2-11ee-a019-5f70af786fc3__h331_w650.jpg)
Israel-Gaza War, Economy, Budget
A number of prominent rightwing figures published a statement to the Finance Minister, asking that he reserve money meant for coalition purposes for the war.