Protesters block Knesset entrance following approval of 2026 state budget

Protesters blocked the entrance to the Knesset Monday morning following the passage of the state budget, demonstrating against the government’s wartime policies, the “Changing Direction” group said Monday.

"While the Israeli public is sitting in shelters, the government of massacre approves a pig-sized budget," the protesters stated. "Instead of taking care of protecting the north, compensating businesses, workers, and residents of the country that are being bombed, they are pouring billions into draft evaders and settlements."

The protesters also claimed the government had not achieved any victories since October 7, 2023, saying that the Hamas terrorist group had not been eliminated, and that Hezbollah and Iran still posed a threat to Israel.

Further, the protesters labeled the government as a "failure," "anti-Zionist," "corrupt," and "Kahanist."

"Immediate elections must be held and we must all be allowed to elect a new government that will repair the destruction and act for the benefit of the entire public in Israel," the protesters demanded.

Israeli police later stated that five of the protesters had been arrested, accusing them of violating public order and not obeying police instructions.

The protests were dispersed by the police.

The Knesset's passing of the 2026 state budget in its second and third readings late Sunday night prevented the government’s collapse and averted early elections.

If the state budget had not been approved during the vote, the Knesset would have automatically dissolved, and elections would have been called. By law, the budget must be approved by the end of March, when the fiscal year closes.

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett, and leading rival candidate against Netanyahu in the upcoming elections, slammed the outline of the state budget ahead of the vote.

“The government is passing tonight the most reckless and most anti-Zionist budget in the history of the State of Israel,” he said.

“During wartime, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and the ultra-Orthodox parties are delivering ten blows to the serving and working public: They are cutting nearly half a billion shekels from our children’s education, making across-the-board cuts to healthcare, transportation, and rehabilitation budgets for the Negev."

Keshet Neev contributed to this report.