Dueling ministers said to threaten Netanyahu with quitting government over budget demands

Sparring ministers are reportedly threatening Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with quitting the government if their demands are not met in the upcoming budget.

Kan news reports that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has told Netanyahu that he will resign his position if the Haredi parties’ receive an additional NIS 600 million in the upcoming budget that they have demanded.

And according to the Walla new site, the Agudat Yisrael faction of the United Torah Judaism party is threatening to pull out of the coalition if they do not receive the additional demanded funds.

The ultra-Orthodox parties are seeking the additional NIS 600 million ($164 million) to fund full-time religious scholars in addition to the billions already pledged to the ultra-Orthodox community.

The government must pass a budget before its May 29 deadline, which if not met would trigger an automatic dissolution of parliament and snap elections.