'Israel' unmasked & divide deepens as Netanyahu seeks to secure allies

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + News websites
24 May 2023 12:42

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to secure coalition allies as he passes a controversial budget granting their main supporter base funds from the Israeli budget.

Israelis protest against a budget proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and its plans to overhaul the country's judicial system in Occupied Al-Quds, Tuesday, May 23, 2023. (AP)

A new two-year budget presented by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government passed in Knesset despite criticism and protest, as the PM hoped to push forward religious and pro-settlement agendas.

After a long night of deliberation, the 2023 and 2024 budgets were ultimately approved by parliament by a vote of 64-56 just before dawn. The budget included the allocation of nearly $4 billion in discretionary funds, namely for ultra-Orthodox spending.

Hoping to gain the support of extremist political allies, Netanyahu announced on Monday that married ultra-Orthodox Israeli settlers who are enrolled in religious studies (rather than employed) would receive a total of 250 million shekels ($67.5 million) from the annual budget.

Following the announcement, thousands flooded the streets in occupied Al-Quds, on Tuesday, accusing Netanyahu of mishandling public funds to buy support amid an ongoing judicial reform havoc.

The intention to allocate large-scale funds from the annual budget to the service of ultra-Orthodox Israelis' welfare does not only depict the core Israeli occupation's identity and priorities despite propaganda efforts to portray itself as "the only democracy in the Middle East," but it also deepens the internal divide as settlers realize that Netanyahu will "loot" public funds, accumulated through occupation practices, to gain favor among his coalition allies.

During the protest, which ended in front of the Knesset while its members voted on the budget, settlers, in the face of the occupation government, chanted slogans, beat drums, and blew horns.

It is worth noting that the same group that organized the anti-reform protests also organized the most recent protest.

Israelis protest against Netanyahu's government for 20th week

The Times of "Israel" reported earlier, on May 20th, that settlers gathered in the occupied coastal city of Haifa to protest against the Israeli government, as the demonstrations were reportedly focused on the "plunder of public coffers" in the state budget.

Protesting settlers held up a banner that reads “the plundering government.”

“[Tonight's demonstration] refers to the government’s attempt to give 14 billion shekels (≈$3,834 Billion) of taxpayer money to the ultra-Orthodox and ultra-nationalist settler parties,” protestors proclaimed.

The protests in Haifa are a corollary of that in "Tel Aviv" where the main protests have been held. Channel 12 news reported that the main protests in "Tel Aviv" were assessed to be smaller compared to previous weeks.