The ultra-Orthodox parties are complicating the approval of a 30 billion shekel defense budget increase. The second and third reading discussions began this morning. Degel HaTorah, however, announced they will vote against it: "In the first reading, we abstained as instructed by our rabbis and allowed the budget to pass. We said that in the coming weeks until the law's approval in the second and third readings, there would be progress on matters most essential to Judaism, but to no avail. Therefore, we are in the opposition and will vote against it." After Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticized the decision, calling it "absolute irresponsibility," Degel HaTorah chairman Moshe Gafni responded: "Smotrich should not preach morality to us after blocking all budget transfers to government ministries for an entire month just because his Settlement Ministry's budget increase wasn't approved."