Knesset asks High Court to unfreeze budget transfers approved during election recess

The Knesset has petitioned the High Court of Justice to allow five frozen budget transfers, totaling hundreds of millions of shekels, to proceed. The transfers were approved by Speaker Amir Ohana during the election recess, a move the Knesset argues was within his authority.

The High Court is scheduled to hear the petition on Tuesday. Justice Alex Stein had previously placed a temporary halt on most transfers on August 5, citing procedural issues with the committee's convening. He permitted one allocation for civilian emergency expenses and referred the case to a three-justice panel. The temporary order does not rule on the legality of the meeting or the transfers themselves.

The petition was filed by the Hiddush religious-freedom organization and MK Naama Lazimi, who contend that the August 4 meeting violated restrictions for the election recess. They argue it allowed the coalition to push through politically sensitive spending shortly before the October 27 election.

The Knesset's defense rests on two avenues for convening committees during recess: the standard route requiring approval from a Coordination Committee representing both coalition and opposition, and a separate provision allowing the speaker to authorize additional meetings in "special cases." The Knesset asserts that the latter route remains valid even if the Coordination Committee denies approval, stating that a House Committee decision on recess rules cannot override the speaker's explicit authority.