The Israeli government, as per the finance ministry, approved a revised budget for 2024 on Monday, reflecting significant increases in defense spending, Xinhua reported.
The initial budget, sanctioned by parliament in May 2023, required adjustments due to the conflict with Hamas that commenced in October 2023. The proposed updated budget, contingent on parliamentary approval, amounts to 582 billion shekels (approximately 155 billion US dollars).
This includes an additional 55 billion shekels allocated for defense to address combat expenses and reinforce the military. In response to heightened military spending, other ministries experienced budget reductions.
The comprehensive budget features a 9-billion-shekel plan encompassing military reservists, security and protection for localities, support for the mental health system, and the rehabilitation of areas in the south neighboring Gaza.
The National Unity ministers, a major opposition faction that joined the war cabinet during the conflict, voted against the budget. They argued that the revised budget fails to reflect the necessary fundamental change of priorities and neglects the profound consequences of the war.
The faction advocated for measures such as closing unnecessary ministries, freezing the law permitting ministers to resign from parliament to add new lawmakers, freezing lawmakers’ salaries, and cutting funds for coalition parties.
In Gaza, Israel killed more that 24,000 people since October 7, when Hamas forces retaliated to decades long occupational crimes committed by Isarel in Palestine.
