PNN – Despite the initial approval of the 2026 budget draft in the Israeli Knesset (parliament), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces major challenges in its final approval in light of the escalating internal political disputes and crisis.
According to Al-Akhbar newspaper, 62 Knesset members voted in favor of the 2026 budget draft and 55 voted against it today in a decisive and fateful meeting – in light of the escalating internal crises in the Israeli government’s cabinet.
The Israeli government’s 2026 budget, excluding debts, is $214 billion and 43 million; the budget deficit ceiling for this year is estimated at 3.9 percent of Israel’s GDP.
Although the draft has been approved in principle, the right-wing Israeli cabinet headed by Netanyahu faces challenges in finalizing the budget before the end of March.
The end of March is the legally set deadline to prevent the dissolution of the Knesset and the call for early elections.
Meanwhile, several representatives from the Israeli regime’s hardline religious parties have not yet voted on the budget draft in protest against the failure to pass the General Service Law to exempt Haredis from military service.
They are calling for a law that would exempt members of religious schools from military service.
Meanwhile, other parties in the cabinet, along with opposition parties, are emphasizing that members of religious schools should also perform military service – especially given the Israeli army’s casualties in Gaza and Lebanon during the two years of war.