Premier Yitzhak Shamir said Tuesday that the dispute between Labor and Likud over budgetary allocations to kibbutzim, development towns and Jewish settlements in the West Bank was delaying the government’s presentation of its 33 billion Shekel ($23.8 billion) national budget to the Knesset.
The budget, approved by the Cabinet, was to have gone to the Knesset for a vote last week. But the Labor Party said it would not support the budget unless Likud members of the Knesset Finance Committee supported a Treasury-approved plan to case the 266 million Shekel ($193 million) debt burden of the Labor-affiliated United Kibbutz Movement.
Likud countered with demands that the same concessions be applied to development towns and West Bank settlements. This triggered demands from other parties such as the Agudat Israel and Shas which want 30 million Shekels ($22 million) for their affiliated yeshivas. The West Bank settlers are asking for an immediate infusion of 47.5 million Shekels ($35 million) and more later.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
