During the cabinet meeting on Sunday, the government authorized an additional 80 million shekels in funding for haredi yeshivas, as per a coalition agreement signed between the Likud and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) parties following last year’s election.

With the additional funds, government spending on yeshivas will be restored to the level it was at in the previous government, before Yair Lapid became Minister of Finance in 2013.

The yeshiva budget approval was decided upon after a month-long dispute between current Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon (Kulanu) and Finance Committee chair Moshe Gafni (UTJ).

“Following many talks between myself and Finance Minister Kahlon, an agreement was reached,” said MK Gafni to Kol Berama radio. “This is a lengthy process due to all the legal consulting which takes place over a long period of time.”

“In my opinion it took too long, I do not want to elaborate further but the people who conveyed the cynical message that Kahlon raised a white flag only want to damage the world of the Torah. Everything that was agreed upon in the coalition agreement will come to be.”