Benny Gantz: Will call for an election if budget is not passed by December
Israel's state budget has been a contentious issue which has caused numerous problems in the Blue and White and Likud unity government.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFAlternate Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Benny Gantz and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seen during a vote at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on August 24, 2020.(photo credit: OREN BEN HAKOON/FLASH90)
Defense Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz has said that if a state budget is not passed until December, he will call for new elections. In comments made on Israeli talk show "Ofira and Berkovitch", Gantz further said that the plans for setting a budget in place must begin immediately.The show's hosts pressed him on what appears to be a delay, pointing out that Gabi Ashkenazi had previously put the end of October as the deadline, and asking why the delay? Gantz only replied that the original date was delayed from August 25 to December 23.When asked why October, then, was originally slated, Gantz replied that he was the one talking now, and that he wants a budget and a government who can handle the coronavirus crisis.Lastly, he was asked whether if, by December 23, there is no budget, will he call to go to another election? He replied: "Yes".Israel's state budget has been a contentious issue which has caused numerous problems in the Blue and White and Likud unity government.The budget originally had a 100-day deadline to pass, after which an election would take place automatically, but a bill was passed last minute which delayed the date to December 23. The bill provisioned that if a budget is not passed by that deadline, an election will take place on March 23, 2021.
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