Opposition lawmakers on Wednesday blocked the transfer of an approximately NIS 392 million ($116 million) budget earmarked primarily for Haredi education and the Settlements Ministry, preventing a vote after an 11-hour Knesset Finance Committee marathon session ran past the allotted time allowed for parliamentary meetings during a recess.

The transfers failed to secure approval due to a filibuster by opposition lawmakers, who deliberately prolonged the debate. The gambit was aided by internal disagreements between Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich — whose Religious Zionism party draws much of its support from the settlement movement — and ultra-Orthodox parties over the distribution of coalition funds between their respective constituencies.

The funding is now highly unlikely to be approved before the October 27 elections, since opposition consent would now be required for further Knesset consideration of the matter.

The government sought to approve the transfers in the wake of the Knesset’s dissolution nearly two weeks ago, prompting opposition parties to accuse it of trying to further shore up the ruling coalition ahead of the election by doling out public funds to political allies.

The funding included more than NIS 284 million ($94 million) earmarked for Haredi........

© The Times of Israel