Minister Makes Budget for Ethiopian Immigration Condition for Coalition Support

The Bennett-Lapid coalition was confronted with another threat to its plans for an economy- and coalition-stabilizing 2022 state budget on Thursday.

This time the refractory note came from within Yair Lapid’s own Yesh Atid party.

Aliyah and Integration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata said she’ll vote against the budget if it doesn’t promote the immigration of Ethiopian Jews, she tweeted on Thursday.

“I will vote against a budget that won’t promote the Aliyah of Ethiopian Jews in a significant manner, even if I need to resign from the government,” stated Tamano-Shata.

The Meretz party also said on Thursday that they will oppose the budget if it does not meet their demands. Earlier in the week, Health Minister and Meretz chairman Nitzan Horowitz threatened to leave the coalition if the ministry was not given greater funding in the coming budget.