Liberman says planned budget harms public instead of closing ‘superfluous’ ministries

Former finance minister Avigdor Liberman dismisses the government’s latest budget proposal as harmful to regular taxpayers. He argues that the coalition would do better to close “superfluous” government ministries, and not cut benefits, in an effort to bring down the large budget deficit and fund the ongoing wars with the Hamas terror group in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“Citizens of Israel, this government is going to hit you in the savings, everything that you earned and saved up over the years: in the pension, in the advanced study funds,” Liberman declares in a video message posted to X (formerly Twitter).

“They are going to raise the value added tax (VAT). And all of these decrees are coming instead of taking and closing all of the superfluous ministries,” he says, ripping the names of several ministries and departments from a board and throwing them out, including the Heritage Ministry and Settlement and National Missions Ministry.

“They are all a waste of money. Instead of harming citizens, begin cutting in the places that nobody needs,” he says.

Liberman’s comments come after the Finance Ministry presented his year’s Arrangements Law for public comment, ahead of the upcoming Knesset legislative session. The law, which determines how funds will be disbursed, is usually the final precursor to passing the budget.