Israel’s Knesset passes 1st reading of wartime budget amid Gaza conflict

By Abdul Raouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Knesset (Israel’s parliament) passed the government’s 2023 amended wartime budget in the first reading on Wednesday.

The budget was approved by 62-53 votes in the 120-seat Knesset, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported.

It will now go to the Knesset’s Finance Committee in preparation for its second and third readings.

The budget was opposed by the National Unity Party led by former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s war cabinet, KAN said.

Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat, from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party, was also absent from the vote, with no reason provided for his absence.

The Israeli government estimates the initial cost of the ongoing Gaza war at around 191 billion shekels ($51 billion).

Last week, the government approved an annex budget worth 30.5 billion shekels ($8 billion) to cover the needs of the war on the Gaza Strip.

Israel resumed its military offensive on the Gaza Strip on Friday after the end of a weeklong humanitarian pause with the Palestinian group Hamas.

At least 16,248 Palestinians have been killed and more than 43,616 others injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.

* Writing by Mohammad Sio