MK Moshe Gafni (Degel HaTorah/UTJ) informed Finance Committee Chairman MK Hanokh Melbitsky that his faction will vote against a package of benefits for all associations unless Haredi institutions are included in transfers under Section 46A, defying High Court rulings. Following the ultimatum, the committee decided not to bring the clauses to a vote, according to a source familiar with the proceedings.
The Knesset Finance Committee narrowly avoided a vote on a package of benefits for associations Monday after Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni (UTJ) informed committee chairman MK Hanokh Melbitsky (Likud) that his faction would oppose the bill unless Haredi institutions are included in the transfer under Section 46A, which allocates state funds to institutions that do not follow the core curriculum. The High Court had previously ruled that the exclusion of such institutions from the transfers was illegal, but the coalition has been slow to comply.
Following Gafni's ultimatum, the committee decided not to bring the clauses to a vote, effectively delaying the matter. The dispute highlights the ongoing tension within the coalition over state funding for Haredi institutions, which enjoy exemptions from certain state requirements.
As The Zioneer reported, UTJ has been in a series of coalition clashes over the past month, including a contentious daycare funding bill and opposition to the broadcast law. The party's ability to force delays on committee votes demonstrates its leverage in the narrow coalition.
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