Billions on the table: the exceptional figure of the outgoing Netanyahu government

Maariv reports on the exceptional scope of coalition funds of the outgoing Netanyahu government, amounting to billions of shekels. The article presents examples of allocations, professional criticism, and proposals to change the rules of the political game.

A Maariv article presents an exceptional figure on the scope of coalition funds of the outgoing Netanyahu government, amounting to billions. A clear example is the allocation of about one and a half billion shekels per year for support of religious institutions and yeshivas, alongside advancing the inclusion of Haredi education networks in the "Ofek Hadash" program, a step critics claim was taken without the required supervision and core curriculum conditions. Additional examples include transferring hundreds of millions of shekels to projects such as the Interior Ministry's food cards and allocations to the Settlement Division, along with establishing bodies like the Authority for Jewish National Identity. The article notes that these budgets are transferred through mechanisms that bypass normal priorities, drawing criticism from professional bodies. The public debate is divided into two approaches: critics see it as political extortion, while supporters view it as an expression of representation. The article also reviews proposals to change the rules of the game, such as tightening time limits for forming a government and anchoring a financial ceiling for political agreements.