The Knesset approved a budget of 582 billion shekels - an amount that is 68 billion higher than the initial budget established in May of last year. The budget includes significant cuts in government ministries, apart from the defense and yeshiva budgets.
The vote in the second and third readings must be held by law by Monday, February 19. If the new budget is not approved by then, a proportional part of the NIS 67 billion budget cut will take effect in all government ministries' budgets, until the date of its approval.