Discovered Ynet in English Bibi Less Budget

Discovered Ynet in English Bibi Less Budget

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3124841,00.html
A Bibi-less Budget vote

So long and thanks for all the cash; the Israeli government convenes to discuss and later vote on state funding plan Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had worked for months to compile; Cabinet also approved appointment of Ehud Olmert to replace Netanyahu, who quit on Sunday in protest of planned Gaza pullout
By Diana Bahur-Nir



The seat of former Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained empty as the cabinet met to discuss and later vote on the 2006 state budget he had compiled.



Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told said the budget "must be approved by the end of the day", as the ministers met to discuss amendments he had made a day after Netanyahu quit the government in protest of Israel’s planned pullout from the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank next week.


Netanyahu had proposed budget cuts of a total NIS 3.6 billion in several ministries.


A day after his resignation, Sharon amended the budget to increase funding for the Defense Ministry, demanding a cut of NIS 650 million instead of the NIS 1.5 billion that Netanyahu had proposed.



More funds were needed for the defense budget in wake of an increased Iranian nuclear threat, sources in the prime minister’s office said.



Army Chief Lt.-General Dan Halutz said the cuts would allow security forces to survive by the end of 2005 only, adding that "we are planning wide-range organizational changes in the army, whose benefits we will not be able to witness within a month, but after a longer term."



Netanyahu slammed the increase in the defense budget, saying it would "bring to cuts in the budget for those who need such funds. The decision is wrong."

Olmert approved for finance minister


The cabinet also approved the appointment of his replacement, Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.


“This may not be the budget I compiled, but it’s important to show stability and approve the framework of the budget that has existed until today.”


“The government’s stance, where the deficit goal stands at three percent and spending grows by only one percent, has been commended greatly and should continue in order to pass on a message of stability and continuity. If we don’t, we will cause irreversible damage,” he said.



Education Minister Limor Livnat and Health Minister Danny Naveh threatened to vote against the budget due to proposed cuts in her ministry’s budget.



Both joined Netanyahu and two other ministers in voting against the first stage of Israel’s evacuation of Gaza settlements on Sunday and have voiced opposition to the plan in the media.



- Shani Mizrahi contributed to this report