While the coalition will have enough votes to pass the proposed state budget, clearly not all parties in the Knesset are smiling. It is reported the opposition parties have filed 32,000 (thirty-two thousand) objections to the budget that is expected to pass into law.

The budget will be presented in Knesset on Wednesday, 6 Kislev for its second and third (final) readings. The opposition is unwilling to remove its objections, which means the debate could carry on for 11 days without taking into consideration breaks will be required for personal needs, davening and eating.

Coalition officials are working with Zionist Camp officials in the hope of significantly cutting down the list of objections/reservations that must be voiced before the budget can be passed into law. The Knesset Committee is working to place a ceiling on the number of objections, somewhere in the area of 40. It is pointed out that generally, objections from opposition parties to the budget number in the thousands, not double digits as is the case today.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)