The discussions in the Knesset’s Finance Committee regarding the passing of the state budget began on Tuesday night and, opposition MKs, including Chareidi MKs Moshe Gafni (UTJ) and Yinon Azoulay (Shas), submitted 22,270 reservations to the committee’s chairman Alex Kushnir (Yisrael Beiteinu).

The reservations, many of which were prepared in advance over the past several weeks, accomplished major goals, including the fact that for the first time, the budget for yeshivos will be included in the budget base, which means it will not be debated again in the Knesset, it will be implemented immediately with no delays, and it will remain valid for two years.

In addition, UTJ Uri Maklev filed a number of substantial reservations against the kashrus reform law, which unfortunately was passed in the Knesset’s Religious Services Committee (headed by a secular Yisrael Beiteinu MK) on Wednesday.

However, Maklev did manage to achieve several accomplishments via his reservations, including the cancellation of the ban on religious councils to grant hechsheirim under certain circumstances. This will allow, for example, HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Amar to continue overseeing kashrus via the Jerusalem Religious Council without the need to open a private entity.

עם פתיחת הדיונים כעת בועדת הכספים בנושא חוק התקציב, חברי הכנסת גפני, ינון אזולאי ואופיר כץ הגישו ליו"ר הוועדה אלכס קושניר 22,270(!) הסתייגויות. pic.twitter.com/wsNC2Bh3y7

— ישי כהן (@ishaycoen) October 26, 2021

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)