Supreme Court Freezes Budget Transfers Approved by Knesset Finance Committee
The Supreme Court has issued a temporary order freezing budget transfers for ultra-Orthodox education approved by the Knesset Finance Committee, citing procedural flaws.
The Finance Committee approved on Tuesday a series of budget transfers amounting to approximately a quarter of a billion shekels for the ultra-Orthodox education system, including a budget supplement for ultra-Orthodox kindergarten teachers.
Following an urgent petition, Supreme Court Justice Alex Stein issued a temporary order freezing the transfers approved by the committee.
"In light of the procedural flaws that apparently occurred in holding the discussion, a temporary order is issued delaying the execution of the budget transfers," Stein wrote in his decision.
According to the ruling, the transfer concerning civil emergency expenses remains approved. The petition will be heard by a panel of three judges as soon as possible.
Chairman of the Finance Committee, MK Hanoch Milwidsky, reacted sharply to the decision: "Yesterday Justice Solberg and today Justice Stein. Both entered the Supreme Court with the status of 'conservatives,' but the Supreme Court is beyond repair. It must be closed; the solution is a Constitutional Court."
Chairman of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, MK Simcha Rothman, also expressed anger: "Alex Stein is not a judge; he is a full-blown politician. If 'procedural flaws' occurred in yesterday's meeting, they are identical to all the transfers carried out. He is canceling only those he disagrees with for political reasons. This is the swan song of judicial pirates. These elections are about who will replace Stein and his party members to restore sanity to the state."
