Smotrich dismisses Gantz criticism over discretionary spending, saying it's not time to fight 'over 1% of budget'

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says that the budget he updated for the war will be advanced by the cabinet today, despite criticism over its continued funding of political promises during wartime.

“It’s possible to love them or not love them, but this debate is not connected to the war,” Smotrich says, in comments specifically tied to budget transfers benefiting ultra-Orthodox educational institutions.

Turning to war cabinet minister Benny Gantz, who said his party’s five minister would vote against the budget today, Smotrich says it’s time to unite and that it’s not worth fighting over “one percent of the budget.”

“Benny, it’s not a secret that we represent two different ways of thinking in Israeli society…but today” there is a need to work together, Smotrich says.