An NIS 3.4 billion increase in the 2024 budget was approved by the government Sunday, after being advanced by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
The nearly 2.7 billion of the funding is primarily for extended housing grants and other social services grants for evacuees from the North through the end of the year.
It also includes NIS 200 million for reservists, repaying flat cuts to ministry budgets and more.
This funding is necessary due to the war continuing for much longer than expected, the ministry said, adding that the expectation was the evacuees from the North would not need funding for as long as they have. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a Finance committee meeting at the Knesset, on June 10, 2024 (credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
The minister’s office said that this spending will not increase the deficit expected for 2024, because of increased income from…
