Budget

The Knesset Finance Committee approved 2026 budget changes on Wednesday, allocating funds for national shelter placement, artificial intelligence development, and legal representation.

Tax Authority Director Shay Aharonovich warned at a Tel Aviv conference that 2027-2028 will face deep fiscal challenges due to defense spending, calling for structural tax reforms rather than VAT hikes.

France's sovereign bond yields have hit 4.9% amid a worsening debt crisis, sparking fears of a eurozone bailout. With debt projected to exceed 120% of GDP, all eyes are on the ECB.

A Wall Street Journal investigation reveals that UK disability benefits have surged, with 7 million citizens receiving payments amid high costs of living and economic disincentives for work.

Ireland faces sharp criticism for proposing a 13 percent cut to EU defense spending while holding the bloc's presidency, drawing pushback from diplomats and major powers.

Market analysis indicates that the Israeli stock market lags behind global indices due to security uncertainty, high financing costs, and looming fiscal pressures.

Student protests spreading from France to Belgium led to massive demonstrations and clashes in Brussels over education budget cuts, causing widespread disruptions and flight cancellations.

Israel's state tax revenues surged 13.3% to ₪443.7 billion in the first nine months of the year, significantly narrowing the budget deficit while civilian ministry spending remained virtually unchanged.

Israel's government deficit reached 3.2% of GDP at the end of September, totaling 71.8 billion shekels over the past 12 months. While the year-to-date cumulative deficit remains low at 29.5 billion shekels, economists urge caution due to slow civilian budget execution and expected year-end spending surges.

Edmond Safra has invested nearly 100 million shekels in Hapoel Tel Aviv, propelling the club back to the Premier League and European competition with a 60 million shekel budget for the upcoming season.

Israel's $1 billion deal to purchase 12 Apache helicopters collapsed due to a Ministry of Finance budget veto and fiscal numerator rules, despite critical defense needs.

Starting university brings financial challenges alongside new independence. Effective budgeting for tuition, living costs, and smart saving helps students navigate academic life successfully.

British and Canadian weapon manufacturers have begun probing Israeli suppliers over West Bank activities, mirroring broader economic sanctions and threatening the supply chain of critical defense components.

More than 400 people were arrested in France as student protests over school conditions and teacher shortages merged with a broader public sector strike ahead of the budget.

Planning a bar or bat mitzvah trip for preteens involves significant costs, from theme parks in Orlando to safaris in Africa, as child discounts disappear and family budgets soar.

Six major EU net contributors threaten to block the bloc's upcoming long-term budget unless hundreds of billions of euros in traditional spending are cut.

Qatar faces a severe economic crisis as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and damage to Ras Laffan facilities cause LNG exports to plunge by 96%, accumulating an $8.6 billion deficit in six months.

Israeli families face an estimated 3,500-shekel surge in holiday expenses due to festive meals, children's days off, and cumulative inflation over recent years.

Ministry of Finance data for 2025 reveals top budgetary pensions in Israel reach nearly 100,000 shekels monthly for retired judges, highlighting vast disparities with teachers and healthcare workers.

The Knesset Finance Committee will hold a top-secret session on Wednesday to resolve a bitter funding dispute between the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Finance over 15 billion shekels in urgent military acquisitions.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir announced a police budget increase, but Police Commissioner Dani Levy clarified that officer raises remain unapproved.

Deputy Accountant General Dr. Lior David-Por discusses Israel's state budget, deficit targets, and upcoming military procurement reforms in an interview with Globes.

Data shows over 1.2 billion shekels in donations have been given to the IDF since October 7. The funds provided critical equipment, infrastructure, and soldier welfare amidst ongoing budget disputes.

The Accountant General's new financial report reveals that direct war expenditures totaled 231 billion shekels between 2023 and 2025, permanently shifting Israel's defense budget to roughly 8% of GDP and driving historic increases in compensation and reconstruction outlays.

Senior police officers warned Commissioner Dani Levy that hundreds of patrol vehicles exceed manufacturer limits, risking operational readiness amid a budget dispute with Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

MI5 chief Sir Ken McCallum warns that Britain faces unprecedented security threats in 2026, combining hostile state aggression with persistent Islamist terrorism.

Twenty-one Israeli defense firms are exhibiting at Poland's MSPO exhibition, defying French restrictions. Meanwhile, the Pentagon addresses budget gaps due to Iran operations.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir demanded an urgent budgetary transfer of tens of billions of shekels for military needs. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded that the military should seek opposition support amid the current election period.

Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy sent a sharp letter to National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, warning that withholding 333 million shekels in operational budgets severely harms police readiness, vehicle procurement, and station construction.

The government has declared a state of emergency in STEM studies and allocated about 1.5 billion shekels to the program. The program has already begun to operate, but parts of it are outside the scope of monitoring. The "Monitor" section of Globes and the Center for Citizen Empowerment is tracking the "Real Israel" program.

Israel's 2026 revenues are deceptive. Despite strong tax collection, Tax Authority Director Shay Aharonovich warns of significant fiscal challenges ahead in 2027–2028.

Shay Aharonovich warns that the compensation fund is about to run out, and revealed that the Tax Authority is examining a series of dramatic moves, including imposing property tax, taxing advanced study funds (karanot hishtalmut), and a mandatory reporting requirement on rent that alone would bring in about 1.5 billion shekels a year.

After the defense establishment warned that the Budget Department is blocking the transfer of 15 billion shekels during a severe shortage of Humvees and ammunition, senior Treasury officials are launching a counterattack. According to them, the budget is currently pending in the Knesset Finance Committee, and accusations against the Treasury are baseless.

Against the backdrop of criticism regarding budget allocations, data on the Haredi influencer campaign has been published. How much did the sponsored content cost and what was the reaction of the "B'Tsalmo" organization?

After the commanders of the Air Force and Navy set goals for purchasing thousands of munitions for various arenas, including Iran, Walla has learned that the deals may be delayed due to the Treasury's demand for legislation to increase the deficit. The army is embarrassed by the conduct of the government and the Treasury, as there is currently no ability to pay the US.

The special education budget in Israel has increased by 2.5 billion shekels, reaching 26.5 billion in 2026. The number of students in the system has grown by 8.8%, significantly outpacing the growth rate of the general education system.

Although it often flies under the radar, local government is one of the most important players in the education system. Municipalities spend thousands of shekels on every student, but they are less active when they need to understand exactly where the money is going. And also: how did it happen that a small and surprising city took first place in the ranking of investment in education?

A study by the Manor Center has revealed a significant budgetary gap between state schools and the state-religious (Hamad) education system, with Hamad high school students receiving an average of 10,000 shekels more annually.

For a decade, the Ministry of Education imposed fines on Haredi schools for failing to meet core curriculum requirements, but the state has admitted in the Supreme Court that these fines were never actually implemented.

Israeli and US strikes have failed to stop the momentum of defense production in Iran, which claims to have even tripled the rate. Meanwhile, Taiwan is increasing defense spending in the face of the Chinese threat, and Switzerland fears being left without air defense in a world where demand for defense systems is only growing.

A 30% cut in Qatar's annual budget may be just the beginning of the emirate's struggle with the fallout of the war. The country may reduce its global investments, including a half-trillion-dollar commitment to the USA, as well as cancel trade contracts due to "force majeure."

Budget sent a message to customers warning of service and supply issues with Chery vehicles imported by Frisbee. Following a Calcalist inquiry, the leasing company announced that joint efforts have led to significant improvements.

The University of Haifa is facing a 60 million shekel annual deficit. As part of a recovery plan, 170 non-tenured lecturers have received notices of dismissal or position reductions.

The Ministry of Finance is promoting a series of tax measures in the automotive sector for the post-election period to address the state budget deficit. The regulations are expected to focus on alternative-propulsion vehicles, which are projected to significantly reduce state fuel tax revenues.

The war between the US and Israel against Iran has severely hit Qatar's revenues from gas exports, leading to a cut of up to 30% in government budgets and about 85% in foreign aid. The IMF predicts that its economy will shrink by 8.6% this year.

The Supreme Court rejected Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's request to cancel the freeze on funds approved by the Finance Committee, but allowed the release of 78 million shekels for the Ministry of Religious Services.

The author calls for an educational reform where special needs funding is attached to the child rather than the institution, turning students into sought-after opportunities for schools.

In 2025, state winnings from civil lawsuits reached a record 1.5 billion shekels. This result was driven by the Civil Enforcement Unit's shift toward a proactive strategy to protect public resources.

Globes has learned that the government is preparing to approve an additional tens of billions of shekels for security needs as early as next week. Analysts warn that this could necessitate future tax hikes and budget cuts.

Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich uploaded a video to social media in which he launched a sharp attack against the 15 billion shekel plan for the rehabilitation of the North presented by Gadi Eisenkot, accusing his opponent of manipulating public opinion.