Israel’s cabinet advanced a national budget for the first time since 2018 in a sign of stability for the country’s fragile new government. The 120-member Knesset must still approve the two-year spending plan by November to avoid dissolving the government and new elections. That resulted in new elections early this year that ultimately put prime minister Naftali Bennett in charge of an eight-party coalition spanning the political spectrum. Under the agreement, Mr Bennett, a leader of Israel’s settlement movement, would remain prime minister for two years while centrist Yair Lapid serves as foreign minister. Mr Bennett said the agreement is a sign that “this government would deal with the public and not itself”.

Source: Irish Independent August 02, 2021 10:30 UTC