From the Liveblog of
Sunday, October 18, 2026
Government approves NIS 2.6 billion in budget cuts for defense, leaving coalition funds untouched
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAriela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
The government approves NIS 2.6 billion ($840 million) in across-the-board cuts to government ministry budgets to fund urgent defense procurement, while leaving coalition funds untouched, just nine days before the October 27 election.
The 4.9 percent cuts will affect education, health, welfare, transportation and other ministries, while leaving coalition funds untouched, despite warnings from legal advisers about the impact on public services.
Yisrael Beytenu faction chairman MK Oded Forer accuses the government of putting political interests ahead of the public interest.
“Instead of cutting the coalition funds allocated to Aryeh Deri, Shas, United Torah Judaism and [Religious Zionism MK] Orit Strock, they prefer to slash NIS 2.6 billion from government ministries across the board,” he says.
“They are cutting funding for the rehabilitation of northern Israel, healthcare and welfare services in the periphery. But there is always money for draft dodgers and yeshivas. Netanyahu and Smotrich won’t touch those funds,” Forer charges.
Democrats MK Gilad Kariv offers a more succinct response, calling the coalition “a government of thieves.”
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