Supreme Court: Hundreds of millions of shekels for Haredim will remain blocked — 78 million for religious services will be released

The Supreme Court rejected today (Friday) the request of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to cancel the interim injunction freezing the transfer of funds approved by the Finance Committee at its meeting in early August. The interim injunction was issued following a petition claiming that the meeting was illegal.

However, the Supreme Court granted Smotrich's request to make an exception and release from the interim injunction 78 million shekels intended solely for the Ministry of Religious Services. Following the decision, the ministry's director general, Yehuda Avidan, canceled his order from yesterday to close religious sites at the beginning of the week, citing a budget shortage.

Prior to the Supreme Court's decision, in a notice submitted this morning by the Treasury to the Supreme Court, it was stated that there is no room to distinguish between budget requests based on urgency, and not a single shekel should be released until the entire petition is decided. This is contrary to the court's decision last Tuesday, which ordered the ministry to provide a list of urgent budgets that should be released immediately.

The petition concerns the Finance Committee's decision on August 4 to approve 366 million shekels, mainly for the Haredim and Religious Zionism. Among other things, these are funds approved for recognized but non-official education: National Service — 71 million shekels; the Maayan HaHinuch HaTorani network, close to Shas, and the independent education of United Torah Judaism — 69 million shekels. Also: 54 million shekels for kindergarten teachers in recognized but non-official education; Jewish culture — 32 million shekels; the Religious Education Administration in the Ministry of Education — 30 million shekels; a program to prevent dropout from yeshivas — 26.1 million shekels; strengthening at-risk youth — 26.1 million shekels; Haredi exempt institutions within the framework of the "Great Vacation School" — 16.4 million shekels; increasing subsidies for after-school programs in recognized and exempt institutions — 15.2 million shekels; expanding support for Haredi Jewish culture support institutions — 12.5 million shekels; Torah institutions for coordination and liaison bodies — 3.3 million shekels; assistance fund for Avrechim — 1.1 million shekels. Later, the transfer of 125 million shekels to the Ministry of Settlements and 78 million shekels to the Ministry of Religious Services was approved.

The Supreme Court's decision was given in the petition of the Hiddush association for religious freedom and equality and MK Naama Lazimi (The Democrats) against the convening of the Finance Committee during the election recess and against the illegal approval of the budgets. However, in the same notice, the Finance Minister asked today to exclude from the injunction only the funds intended for the Rabbinical Courts. According to the petitioners, they agreed from the beginning to the release of urgent funds, but the Finance Minister chose to delay them all.

The Director General of the Ministry of Religious Services, Yehuda Avidan, said following the Supreme Court's decision:

"I welcome the court's decision that prevented harm to the public of worshipers and in general to religious services, including the Rabbinical Courts. My gratitude goes to the Minister of Religious Services and Deputy Prime Minister, MK Yariv Levin, and to the Shas chairman, Rabbi Aryeh Deri, for the backing and support in the steps I took to bring about the continued proper operation of the holy places, especially at the beginning of the month of Elul and ahead of the Tishrei holidays."

Attorney Dr. Yifat Solel, Deputy CEO and Legal Counsel at the Hiddush association, who represented the petitioners, argued:

"We are witnessing again that the Finance Minister works only for his associates and against the public. Instead of releasing necessary funds and admitting that the latest attempt to plunder public money failed, the minister prefers to destroy everything. The court demanded answers, and the attempt to prevent their transfer only proves what we have said all along."

MK Naama Lazimi stated:

"Finance Minister Smotrich continues to conduct himself in a mafia-like manner towards the Supreme Court, and demands to link important budgets as hostages together with coalition funds for sectors close to the government as a corrupt election bribe, contrary to the Supreme Court's demand. We will not allow the continued robbery of the treasury."