Controversial Funding Deals in Israeli Budget Vote

Yair Lapid, the opposition leader of Israel, criticized the proposed state budget for allocating funds to the Haredi community while allowing Haredi men to avoid employment. He argued that the budget fails to tackle the cost of living crisis or stimulate economic growth. The discretionary funds allocated by the government would be better spent achieving those goals. The budget includes NIS 3.7 billion for stipends for full-time Haredi yeshiva students who receive exemptions from military service and NIS 1.2 billion for private, non-supervised Haredi educational institutions. Lapid argued that the failure to require Haredi schools to teach core curriculum subjects meant that Haredi men would continue to face severe difficulties entering the job market even if they wanted to.