JERUSALEM, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Israeli lawmakers on Thursday approved the country's 2026 state budget in a first reading, easing immediate political pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition and lowering the risk of an early election.
The draft budget passed its initial parliamentary hurdle by 62 votes to 55, but still requires two further readings to become law.
The spending plan sets overall expenditure at around 660 billion shekels (about 213 billion U.S. dollars) and the 2026 deficit ceiling at 3.9 percent of gross domestic product. Defense spending is set at about 112 billion shekels (about 36 billion dollars), which the finance ministry said was aimed at "ensuring the security of Israeli citizens and maintaining the Israel Defense Forces' ability to address security threats."
The vote had originally been scheduled for Monday but was postponed amid tensions within Netanyahu's governing coalition. Under Israeli law, the budget must be approved by March 31 or parliament will automatically dissolve, triggering snap elections.
Several ultra-Orthodox lawmakers did not support the budget, amid disputes over proposed legislation on the conscription of ultra-Orthodox men. The issue has deepened strains within the right-wing coalition, as some lawmakers argue that exemptions should end and that ultra-Orthodox citizens must "share the burden" of military service. ■
