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Israeli coalition's fragile unity holds ahead of budget vote

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is going all out to undermine this week’s decisive vote on the 2021-2022 state budget.
AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

Barring any surprises, on Nov. 5, the Knesset should pass the state budget for 2021-2022. It will be a major milestone for the coalition, ushering in a long period of political stability and reducing the chances that the opposition could topple the government from the outside.

The last time the government approved a budget was March 2018, under then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. For the next three and a half years, Israel continued to operate under the same budget. Amid a chronic political crisis, Netanyahu decided not to pass a new budget to prevent Defense Minister Benny Gantz from being replacing him as prime minister in accordance with their rotation agreement.

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