Knesset Legal Adviser attorney Sagit Afik on Sunday submitted her response to the High Court regarding petitions filed against budget transfers approved by the Knesset Finance Committee on August 4, during the election period.

The budget transfers, designated for Chareidi institutions and yishuvim in Yehuda and Shomron, were frozen by High Court Justice Alex Stein in response to left-wing petitions against them—despite the fact that similar transfers were made by the Bennett-Lapid government during the election period.

The Knesset legal adviser determined that the petitions and the interim injunction, which effectively froze the transfer of the funds, should be dismissed because “no flaw occurred in the proceedings of the Finance Committee that would justify judicial intervention.”

According to her position, the transfers “were approved lawfully and in accordance with the customary practice over the years, and they are presumed to have complied with the restrictions applicable during an election period.”

The position explains that, as has been customary over the years during election recesses, when the Agreements Committee rejects a request to convene a committee, the Knesset Speaker has the authority to approve the meeting in special circumstances pursuant to Section 112(b) of the Knesset Rules of Procedure. This authority has been exercised on several occasions in the past.

For example, during the election recess of the 24th Knesset headed by Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, the Knesset speaker at the time approved three hearings on budget transfers, including coalition-related transfers, after the Agreements Committee had not approved them. This precedent serves as the legal basis for the similar approval granted this year.

The Knesset noted in its response that, in accordance with this practice, the Knesset Speaker approved a Finance Committee hearing on August 4, 2026, concerning six budget transfers, pursuant to Section 112(b). The approval was granted after the Speaker received the position of government officials regarding the importance and urgency of the budget transfers — for the opening of the school year, payment of salaries and suppliers, and other needs.

It should be noted that of the 13 budget transfers originally requested, only six were approved, after the Knesset Speaker received the position of the Knesset’s legal advisers on the matter. The decision to approve only some of the transfers indicates that each request was carefully considered on its merits.

The Legal Department stressed that the transfers considered at the committee hearing underwent the full government approval process, including approval by the government’s legal advisers, as well as the procedures established by the Knesset Finance Committee for budget transfers. Accordingly, the transfers complied with the rules governing the restraint required of the government during an election recess.

Approvals by Knesset speakers to hold meetings under similar circumstances were also granted during previous election recesses. Therefore, the response argues, these are internal matters concerning the Knesset’s work in which there is no basis for court intervention.

The legal position seeks to uphold the principle of separation of powers and the Knesset’s parliamentary autonomy in managing its internal affairs.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)