During a security briefing between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Yair Lapid on Monday, Netanyahu asked to reopen the Budget Law to allocate additional funds to the defense establishment.

Since it is currently an election period, Netanyahu must receive the opposition’s approval to reopen the Budget Law in the Knesset plenum.

Lapid agreed to support the proposal on the condition that coalition funding to the Chareidim be cut, Walla reported.

“I support the proposal and the transfer of the funds because the IDF must be strengthened,” Lapid told Netanyahu. “But the funding source cannot be the tax increase on the middle class and reservists that you’re advancing.”

“Instead, include in the proposal the revocation of the corrupt coalition funds and the tens of billions of shekels that you’re currently transferring to fund Chareidi draft evasion—and we’ll also support the proposal in the Knesset,” he said.

The funds Lapid wants to eliminate—designated for Torah institutions, Chareidi and religious education, the Settlement Division, mission-driven communities, Jewish culture and various activities in Yehuda and Shomron—are currently frozen due to a High Court ruling.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)