From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 19, 2023
2 coalition MKs demand NIS 14 billion in political earmarks be diverted to war effort
Carrie Keller-Lynn is a former political and legal correspondent for The Times of Israel
Two senior coalition MKs ask government party leaders to transfer the NIS 13.7 billion in funds earmarked for political promises to the war effort.
In a letter today, Likud MK Yuli Edelstein and National Unity MK Zeev Elkin urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political partners to redirect the so-called coalition funds, writing that “there is no doubt in our hearts that the coalition heads will understand the present need and discover national responsibility.”
Coalition funds, a politically discretionary portion of the state budget, are awarded as part of political promises for parties to join a coalition.
Netanyahu’s government came under fire for directing a large portion of the monies to ultra-Orthodox priorities, including several religious school systems that do not adhere to Education Ministry curricular guidelines.
The Times of Israel Community.