Smotrich’s support for Halevi is in contrast to the committee he himself established with rabbis from the religious Zionist community.
Residents and politicians in northern Israel oppose the US-French ceasefire proposal with Hezbollah, fearing it may lead to future violence.
Because the ministry does not currently know how much American aid will arrive and when, they decided not to account for this in the current expansion of the 2024 budget.
Israeli policies under the troika of Netanyahu, Smotrich, and Ben Gvir may lead to a rebellion in the West Bank, worsen Israel’s international standing, and further destabilize the region.
The Knesset Finance Committee reviewed a new spending bill by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, aiming to allocate NIS 3.4 billion for war-related issues.
"It is not unlike a second war of independence. And unlike the Yom Kippur War of 1973, which lasted three weeks, its end is not in sight.”
The compensations will be granted to bereaved families, hostages' families, residents of Ofakim, among others.
A total of more than 300,000 jobs have been lost in the West Bank since the war began, UNCTAD said, driving up the unemployment rate there from 12.9% to 32%.
Students began a strike of their own, initiated by Israel's National Student and Youth Council and the National Parent Leadership.
According to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the change will not increase the state's budget deficit at year's end, since it will be offset by higher-than-expected national income from taxes.