The Prime Minister Netanyahu conveyed the long and boring hours of voting by reading a book about Napoleon.
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said that the budget's approval was "a day of celebration for the all the citizens of Israel. The government and the Knesset have proven that they have courage, vigor and financial leadership. This is the most socially-oriented budget of the past decade."
"Tonight, the Knesset approved by a large majority, a social budget and expressed its confidence in the government's economic policy which will lead the economy to growth and to an end to the financial crisis ad will give expression to the social needs of the State of Israel," said Coalition Chairman Ze'ev Elkin (Likud). "All of the opposition's attempts to harm the proper passage of the budget failed and the coalition proved its steadfastness and stability.
Earlier MK Mofaz criticized : Gov't lost touch with the people
Despite having just recently urged his party to join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, MK Shaul Mofaz (Kadima) took the opposite position Wednesday, slamming the government for "completely losing touch with the people."
Mofaz took the podium during a government budget discussion: "I was looking for hope and a future for the young and the elderly, but all I saw (in the budget proposal) was cutbacks.
"Cutting taxes will benefit only those with high wages. Indirect taxes will hurt the weaker socioeconomic echelons and for the first time in history, the state's revenues from indirect taxes will exceed direct tax revenues. This is a shameful
legacy," he said.
*Finance Minister Yuval Shtienitz:
"This is the first biennial budget in the history of the state of Israel and of the entire western world ,and this is day of pride to all of us".
Shtienitz added and said : "I heard the ambiance of the opposition members and the critics of the budget but this is day of pride that Israel proved today that it has courage , freshness, Understanding and economic leadership".
"When this government started its role 105 days ago, we entered with a shattered situation,a decrease of 70 billion shekel in the forecast of earnings of the state,
negative growth and a increase in the unemployment rate, and we received a state without a budget and without a economic program".
"Its true that we raised taxes, for example the increase of general vat and the tax on the water that was required due to the situation, But this is the most social budget in the last decade,that will restrain the rise of the unemployment rate and catapult the economy ahead. This is good budget for the state of Israel".