Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition has approved a key budget bill, narrowly passing it despite opposition from some lawmakers. The bill was passed with just one vote, after MKs from the National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s party abstained rather than voted against it.
The approval comes as Netanyahu returned to the Knesset after undergoing prostate surgery at a hospital. His arrival in the parliament building has been seen as a significant moment in the coalition’s struggle for stability.
The budget bill was one of several key pieces of legislation that had to be passed by the end of the year, or risk being delayed until next year. Netanyahu’s coalition had faced opposition from Haredi faction Agudat Yisrael, which abstained on the vote rather than voting against it.
Source: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-12-31/ty-article/.premium/netanyahu-leaves-hospital-to-vote-on-budget-law-as-coalition-lacks-majority/00000194-1ccd-df29-abb4-9ddf25520000