From the Liveblog of
Monday, January 26, 2026
Netanyahu holding emergency meeting with several coalition leaders over budget impasse
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, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri and Degel HaTorah chief Moshe Gafni will attend an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this afternoon to discuss the crisis over the state budget, Hebrew media reports.
A spokesman for Smotrich confirms that he will meet the premier at 2 p.m. but does not elaborate.
Earlier, a spokeswoman for coalition whip Ofir Katz announced that today’s planned first reading of the 2026 state budget bill will be postponed until Wednesday.
Haredi political sources tell The Times of Israel that the delay is related to the ongoing fight over legislation exempting yeshiva students from military service.
According to the Maariv daily, legal adviser Miri Frenkel Shor, who has expressed significant criticism of the draft exemption bill, has called for the addition of several amendments to the legislation, which are opposed by the Haredim. Late-night discussions of the issues failed to bring about an agreement, leading to the delay of the budget vote.
In addition to being finance minister, Smotrich also controls the Religious Zionism party, which is currently weighing its position on the controversial legislation regulating Haredi enlistment.
The Times of Israel Community.