New Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid, who faces a budget deficit as a primary challenge for the current Israeli economy. Photo: Yesh Atid Party.

Ynet – The 19th Knesset’s first summer session on Monday turned into a barbed verbal bout between Finance Minister Yair Lapid and haredi Knesset members.

Answering haredi criticism of the impending budget cuts, Lapid cynically said: “I understand you’re going through tough times. Weren’t you sitting in the government which created the deficit? Where you on Mars? You were in every government, and you were costly partners.”

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