Israel government approved the country’s 2025 state budget on Friday in a 23-7 majority vote. Ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir, Amichai Eliyahu, Yitzhak Wasserlauf, Miki Zohar, Gila Gamliel, Avi Dichter and Idit Silman opposed it. Yitzhak Goldknopf and Gideon Sa’ar didn’t participate in the vote.
"The 2025 state budget will stand at approximately NIS 607.4 billion ($160 billion),” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said following the budget's approval. “Alongside the budget, the government approved budgetary adjustment measures totaling approximately 37 billion shekels ($9.8 billion)."
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Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the vote
(Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)
"The current budget is a stabilizing one designed to serve the needs of the war and the major challenges facing the Israeli economy,” he added. “It’s a war-supportive budget that also promotes growth: we’re offering reservists an additional care package worth 9 billion shekels ($2.4 billion) and a comprehensive recovery and development plan for the north amounting to approximately 15 billion shekels ($4 billion)."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concluded the cabinet meeting, saying, "I want to thank the finance minister, ministers and the office staff who worked very hard for this. We gathered to vote for an important, difficult budget but one that's essential in a wartime year."
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid sharply criticized the budget, saying, "The Netanyahu government just passed a reckless budget. It’ll increase every Israeli family’s expense by 20,000 shekels ($5,300) a year, while simultaneously distributing billions to 10 unnecessary government ministries. They’ve lost all shame," he wrote.
National Unity party leader Benny Gantz added, "4.1 billion shekels ($1.1 billion) – that’s the amount the Israeli government just approved.”
“No, it’s not for reservists who experience the heavy load, not for active-duty soldiers, nor for evacuees from the north and south, nor for economic recovery after a significant hit, nor for at-risk populations, education or welfare. 4.1 billion shekels is for them — for the politicians. Whoever supported this budget will carry this shame for life. Shame on you,” he added.
The marathon of discussions for the budget’s approval began on Thursday, with the scheduling designed by the Prime Minister's Office and the finance ministry to press ministers into ending discussions as the hours approached the early start of Shabbat.
Consequently, disputes over certain budget items diminished, allowing most of the Finance Ministry’s proposed budget items to pass as written.
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