Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid filed a no-confidence motion against the government on Wednesday over the passing of the state budget. It was the first no-confidence motion since the start of Israel’s war with Hamas a little over 100 days ago.
The government passed the 55 billion shekel ($14.5 billion) budget on Monday.
Although the budget includes a supplemental package for reservists, regular army and their families to the tune of 9 billion shekels ($2.4 billion), with billions of shekels in addition going toward strengthening the civilian front, including measures to provide for evacuees, Lapid’s Yesh Atid Party said the budget “favors unnecessary offices and coalition funds over aid to evacuees, reservists and to strengthening the sense of security.”
“This government cannot continue to exist. It is a failure that costs human lives and the future of the country,” Yesh Atid said in a statement.
“While the members of the cabinet are busy with quarrels and politics instead of the management of the war, the government approved a shameless budget,” it said.
Yesh Atid brought the no-confidence motion after Likud MK and coalition chairman Ofir Katz announced at the start of the month that Knesset members may again bring private bills (put on hold because of the war), beginning on Jan. 17.
Private bills are limited to “social, economic and war matters,” a factor which changes the process by which they must be passed.
The Labor Party announced it too will submit a motion of no confidence, next Monday.
Labor said in a statement, “It’s been 103 days that our sons and daughters have been held captive by Hamas; 103 days that the State of Israel is torn between Israel and Gaza. And the government doesn’t care at all.
“There is no trust in a government that doesn’t do everything to bring them back. There is no trust in a government that does not put the abducted as the first order of priority.
“This is a government that cares about its own corrupt interests and not those who give their lives for it. This is a government in which there is no confidence. It should be overthrown.”
