Realizing that shortly after announcing his new government, Binyamin Netanyahu’s first order of business is passing the 2009-2010 state budget. Towards achieving that goal, he is informing coalition partners that joining the government will compel them to raise their hands in support of the proposed budget, hoping to accomplish the task of voting in the budget relatively quickly.

Netanyahu is seeking to avoid the long negotiations with coalition partners are each makes its demands towards a piece of the government spending pie.

For the first time in the state’s history, the government will approve a two-year budget, not one year. The hope is a two-year budget will prevent a coalition crisis next year surrounding the budget, a likely realization based on past experience.

Likud officials proudly explain that by committing coalition partners to the budget now will avoid demands and surprises in the coming weeks.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)