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Sunday, January 18, 2026
Following legal adviser’s deadline, Smotrich to present budget tomorrow — report
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is expected to submit the 2026 state budget to the Knesset tomorrow, with its first reading to be held either on Wednesday or on the following Monday, the Ynet news site reports.
Knesset Legal Adviser Sagit Afik informed lawmakers today that a first reading of the budget must be held by next week because at least two months must pass between the first and second readings of the budget, the latter of which must be held by the end of March.
Under Israeli law, if the government fails to pass the budget by the end of March, the Knesset will automatically dissolve, triggering early elections three months later. Elections are currently slated to be held by late October.
The Times of Israel Community.