United Torah Judaism threatens: We will not vote until further notice with the coalition

20 June 2023   

The chairman of the United Torah Judaism faction, MK Yitzhak Pindros, announced today (Tuesday) to the chairman of the coalition, MK Ofir Katz, and the minister who liaises between the government and the Knesset, David Amsalem, that starting tomorrow - Wednesday, the faction's Knesset members will not vote with the coalition on all laws supported by the government, until its coalition demands are met. During the faction's weekly meeting yesterday, Minister of Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition Meir Porush raised the humiliating behavior of finance officials who are not advancing the budget that was promised to United Torah Judaism in the coalition negotiations - and demanded a decision, after coordinating this with all Agudat Yisrael representatives in the faction, that the MKs stop voting with the coalition until the matter is settled. Minister Porush: "How is it possible that a month after the budget was approved and three weeks since we submitted a detailed document for the Mesorat Yisrael activity, the Ministry of Finance has still not approved the transfer of funds to this activity. This does not mean, but rather a lack of recognition and understanding of the importance of this activity." Deputy Minister of Haredi Development Uri Maklev added that the situation is similar with respect to the budget of the Authority for the Economic and Social Development of the Haredi Sector, and in view of the behavior of the Finance officials, in their conduct they convey their lack of trust and appreciation for the actions of these ministries. After their remarks, all those present at the faction meeting took part and expressed their solidarity with the demand to refrain from supporting the bills and votes brought forward by the coalition factions, and to this end it was decided to clarify and support the demand of Minister Porush and Deputy Minister Maklev.