Israel’s 2005 budget passed its first Knesset reading. In a surprise to many political analysts, 64 lawmakers voted in favor of the budget Wednesday, while 53 were opposed. Final ratification has not yet been scheduled. Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ensured that most of the 13 “rebels” in the ruling Likud Party voted in favor of the budget, despite their opposition to Sharon’s plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank later this year.
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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.
