Ministers at Sunday’s cabinet meeting clashed over funds intended for the Arab sector that have been frozen by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, with the discussion devolving into a shouting match, according to Israeli media.
Education Minister Yoav Kisch demanded that Smotrich unfreeze NIS 200 million intended for Arab local authorities, warning that failing to do so would lead to the local authorities delaying the opening of the school year.
“You’re destroying the Arab sector,” warned Kisch.
Smotrich responded by telling Kish “You don’t understand anything, you’re talking nonsense. You and all the ministers are running a campaign over my head, ministers who don’t understand the situation. We are building a mechanism to transfer the funds under supervision.”
Kisch responded that the formation of the mechanism would take weeks and demanded that the NIS 200 million be transferred in the meantime, with Smotrich responding “So you want us to do what they (a seeming reference to the former government) did with [Ra’am head] Mansour Abbas?”
PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich confer at a cabinet meeting. (credit: Amit Shabi/Flash 90)Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman also stated during the discussion “I won’t transfer a shekel to the Arab sector which manages cartels. We need to stop this world.”
Public Diplomacy Minister Galit Distal Atbaryan added that the government “needs to address the Jewish base [of government supporters],” and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut her off, saying “I am not talking now to the base, there is an urgency that cannot be ignored. We should adopt the proposal of the finance minister, bring us an immediate solution. We cannot continue like this.”
Criticism surrounding Smotrich’s decision to freeze funds to Arab sector
Earlier this month, Smotrich announced that he had frozen the transfer of NIS 200 million to the Arab sector, claiming that government funds being provided to Arab local authorities were being used by organized crime.
Netanyahu has backed Smotrich’s decision to freeze the funds until a new mechanism to transfer the funds has been built.
Smotrich’s decisions concerning funding for the Arab sector have drawn criticism from both inside and outside the coalition, including from fellow ministers.
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