Moshe Gafni

Outcome of state budget vote uncertain amid coalition crisis over haredi draft

By law, if the state budget is not approved in all three readings by the end of March, when the fiscal year closes, the Knesset will automatically dissolve, and elections will be called.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet seen at the Knesset plenum, June 11, 2025
A PLENUM session at the Knesset.

2026 budget reading puts government at risk, after months of ideological sparring - analysis

 Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich speaks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as lawmakers gather at the Knesset plenum to vote on a bill that would limit some Supreme Court power, in Jerusalem July 24, 2023.

Netanyahu convenes emergency meeting as haredi parties threaten to block state budget vote

Supreme Court justices preside over a hearing at the High Court of Justice in Jerusalem, December 1, 2025

High Court to hear two cases blocking haredi education funds amid legal disputes


How will Rabbi Edelstein's passing affect ultra-Orthodox politics? - analysis

With Rabbi Gershon Edelstein's presence gone, fighting between the Israeli haredi factions of Degel Hatorah and Agudat Yisrael may get out of hand.

 Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, spiritual leader of Degel HaTorah party seen at his home in the ultra orthodox Jewish town of Bnei Brak, on February 14, 2023

200,000 gather as senior ultra-Orthodox rabbi Edelstein laid to rest

Netanyahu: Jewish world lost a brilliant scholar, leader • The funeral service has begun

 Thousands at the funeral of Rabbi Gershon Edelstein. May 30, 2023

The dysfunctional government could stumble along until 2024 - opinion

The moment the dye was cast and the 2023-2024 budget turned into law, it became clear that our largely dysfunctional government could continue to stumble on.

 FINANCE COMMITTEE Chairman Moshe Gafni addresses the Knesset plenum. Gafni is certainly aware that Noa Kirel is not part of the curriculum of any sort of non-haredi school, nor the cause of haredi poverty.

Haredi MK makes jab at Israeli Eurovision rep Noa Kirel's clothes

MK Moshe Gafni said that he would donate clothes to Noa Kirel, insinuating that her clothes are not sufficient in his opinion.

 WISHING NOA KIREL a lot of luck at this year’s contest in Liverpool in May!

Tension in coalition mounts over last minute budget demands

Agudat Yisrael demands additional funds, threatens to oppose budget; Smotrich threatens to resign

Israeli MKs of the United Torah Judaism party Meir Porush reacts as he sits in the plenum as the Knesset approves Yesh Atid's draft bill on first reading early Tuesday morning, in the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, in Jerusalem, early July 23, 2013

UTJ's Moshe Gafni asks Benny Gantz to join gov't coalition - report

Gafni is reportedly seeking to increase the balance in the coalition by adding Gantz and the National Unity party. 

THE KNESSET Finance Committee’s incoming chairman, United Torah Judaism’s Moshe Gafni, presents an anti-economic bill that challenges the capitalist zeal of incoming finance minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Netanyahu assures no law against Christians after missionary bill outrage

Evangelical Christian groups have supported the Zionist cause in various capacities for decades, and have close relationships with Israeli institutions.

 Head of the Finance committee MK Moshe Gafni leads a Finance committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on January 17, 2023.

Israelis protest in front of UTJ's Moshe Gafni's house in Bnei Brak

Despite calls by Gafni to his supporters not to arrive and confront the protesters, dozens of Bnei Brak residents came to the scene.

 Protests in front of Moshe Gafni's house in Bnei Brak, March 14 2023.

Hametz Law passes first reading in Knesset overnight

The bill will allow hospital managers to decide on the Passover arrangements in each hospital, including wholly prohibiting hametz from entering the building.

 United Torah Judaism MKs Yitzchak Goldknopf and Moshe Gafni at a vote in the plenum session at the assembly hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on December 20, 2022.

Haredi faction demands funding for its private schools in Israel's new state budget

Senior figures in Degel Hatorah even threatened not to support the budget in the Knesset if the issue is not taken care of.

Haredi students at the Jerusalem College of Technology