In a preliminary reading, the Israeli Knesset approved a bill to postpone the presentation of the state budget for a period of 100 days.
The media office of the Knesset said that 56 members voted in favor of the bill, while 41 of the 120 members opposed it, adding that the bill will return to the Parliamentary Finance Committee, to prepare it for a first reading, then the second and third readings, before it becomes law in force.
The coalition parties - including Netanyahu's Likud, and Blue and White headed by Defense Minister Benny Gantz - voted in favor of the bill.
Israeli law obliges the government to present a general budget within 100 days of its formation, otherwise parliament automatically dissolves itself, and early elections are called.
But as August 25 approaches, the differences between Netanyahu and Gantz over the budget law have not stopped.
Netanyahu proposed submitting the government a one-year budget, but Gantz insisted on a two-year budget.
MK Zvi Hauser had submitted a bill to postpone the presentation of the budget to avoid dissolving the Knesset and heading to new elections, and with the hope of resolving disputes during this period, especially since Israel has witnessed 3 election rounds since April 2019.