The government is putting aside controversial legislation to largely exempt members of Haredi communities from mandatory military enlistment, so the 2026 state budget can pass as fast as possible to help cover the cost of war with Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Tuesday.

The statement, which was met with declarations of victory from the opposition, came as ministers were expected to vote overnight to slash the budgets of all ministries but defense by 3 percent, and to add NIS 28 billion ($9 billion) to the NIS 112 billion ($34 billion) defense budget.

“This is not an expenditure. It’s an investment,” said Smotrich in a joint video statement with Netanyahu. “To succeed in this mission, we’re putting aside contentious issues that aren’t fitting in wartime.”

“We’re putting aside the enlistment law, which won’t be promoted for now, as well as a number of reforms that have not gained wide support,” said Smotrich, whose plan to expand dairy imports was removed from legislation accompanying the budget on Tuesday amid opposition from Netanyahu’s Likud party.

“We wanted to bring more good news to the citizens of Israel in this budget, with an emphasis on the struggle against the cost of living,” he said. “But the responsibility resting on our shoulders requires us to focus on passing the budget immediately for the security of the state and the welfare of its residents.”

Netanyahu, in his remarks, hailed Israel’s accomplishments in the ongoing bombing campaign that the United States and Israel launched against Iran on February 28 in a bid to topple its clerical regime and destroy its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities.

“There was no question — we had to go to war,” said Netanyahu. “But — and there’s a big but — it all costs money. A lot of money.”

“That’s why........

© The Times of Israel