Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ministers during a government meeting that "we must continue to lead" amid the confrontation regarding the across-the-board budget cut from all government ministries for the security of educational institutions - totaling 285 million shekels. Netanyahu claimed that "the media is trying to diminish the removal of the existential threat from Iran, and the same goes for Hezbollah and Hamas. We are doing what no government would do, so there is no need to create an uproar over the budget. I ask everyone to vote in favor of the across-the-board cut - because it is a vote in favor of this government and for us to continue to lead."