On video: Nir Kipnis in an opinion column on the cancellation of the establishment of the front emergency room on Sderot in Warah/Still photo: Reuven Castro, Reuters and Flash 90
As these lines are being written, the Knesset is debating the 2024 budget. These debates usually have a fixed ritual: the coalition praises, the opposition attacks and bides time in the unnecessary parliamentary exercise called "filibuster", the news broadcasts mainly deal with the main sections: the education budget, the defense budget and the coalition funds - and after The barking of the dogs passes the caravan in total.
Not this time, or more precisely: it shouldn't be this way this time, because this budget that is being submitted for approval by the Knesset is the type of document that can be submitted alone, as an indictment, in a trial that may one day be held for war crimes - and not against the enemy.
Sometimes it seems that we have run out of clichés to express our distaste for this budget, a model of political inclusivity even in a place where we thought we had seen it all: it is not about another billion shekels for the poor or how many millions a blackmailed member of the Knesset can distribute as he sees fit, but rather a ringing slap in the face to all those who work for a living and who serve in reserve
A budget that was entirely subordinated to one goal: elections in which the majority of the people, according to every poll, want to be held as soon as the battles close.
Let's assume for a moment the claim that the ultra-Orthodox will be part of any coalition and will enjoy a status that will allow them to extort a budget in order to cultivate future voters, even if it is not certain that this is destiny.
Let's look at the small money, the porky additions that were squeezed out of the budget at the last minute, for example the one that the Prime Minister made sure to approve from his sick bed in a telephone vote.
The future of Israel is being sacrificed for the sake of the "Wing of Zion" test flights and the renovation of the private swimming pool in Caesarea.
Binyamin Netanyahu/Official website, Roy Avraham/L.A.M., Sound: Yehezkel Kandil/L.A.M.
The vote was intended to approve Abi Maoz 25 million shekels for cultivating a Jewish identity or another lie that sounds similar.
Maoz's Jewish identity is a combination of racism, misogyny, homophobia and hatred of the other as only he defines it, but let's assume for a moment that in Israel 2024 there are enough crazies who think this is a worthy investment avenue.
What can be done with those 25 million?
And this is exactly the problem, not only of this budget, but also of the media's engagement with it.
Because we go after the billions and constantly fall into the debate about the funds for the ultra-Orthodox (in one sentence: a finger in the eye, maybe even crying for generations, but this is only a small part of the story, a fig leaf that covers much larger structural injustices), we tend to ignore what is automatically labeled as "change".
Let it be said right away: 25 million shekels is indeed "small money" in terms of the state budget, even if it is entrusted to the hands of the darkest man in the Israeli Knesset (and it's not that there is no competition!), but when it is converted (for example) into the hours of an integrated assistant for special education children, or employees Social workers, discover that they cover the future of a child with special needs who will not be able to integrate into society - not only now, in elementary school, but also for the rest of his life.
Every parent of a child who needs such assistance would do well to check how much money is missing from the state coffers to provide this important service.
His child may lose the chance to integrate into society, but at least he will be able to learn that gays are whores.
Why?
Because the country is run by a person who sees only one number in front of his eyes: 64. The
25 million shekels that were transferred for the benefit of that dubious Jewish identity will also be lacking for the welfare organizations.
I'm not talking about the Michal Sela forum for example, an organization whose name is careful about the rights of those who burn children over their parents, dared to question its integrity.
The reference is to social workers, a profession for which the salary decreases as its importance increases.
Well, how many families will not be saved from the hands of a violent father, who may one day kill the mother, maybe even his children, but hey - violent men are part of the new Jewish identity anyway, so why do we complain?
Yes, 25 million shekels out of a budget of hundreds of billions sounds like small money, but only when you are not the one who needs it.
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Small-big money: the real winner of the evil and crime budget that the Knesset was asked to approve.
Avi Maoz/Reuven Castro
And what was said about the Volcanic Institute, the splendor of Israeli research and a source of income of billions (cumulatively)?
This important scientific-agricultural enterprise is about to be closed due to a shortage of several tens of millions of shekels.
In a country that is about to lose a large part of its income (anyone who thinks there is no connection between applause for an anti-Israel speech at the Oscars and a drop in the income of the State of Israel is nothing but an idiot), places like the Volcanic Institute should have received an additional budget.
Instead, the Israeli government decided to eliminate him.
Why?
Because it is not necessary to reach the magic number of 64 - here is another example of mortgaging our children's future for the expenses of renovating the swimming pool in the private villa in Caesarea.
Once, not long ago, when she was in the opposition, Miri Regev (Transportation Minister, for those who have forgotten, whose entire occupation is sewing the torch-lighting ceremony for the bad habits of the Prime Minister's wife) admitted that in order to return to power, the Likud had to say goodbye to all those stomachaches - battered women, Holocaust survivors, soldiers Freedmen or just elderly who have to choose between food and medicine - all these and more she was willing to sacrifice just to return to the head of the decoration committee of the State of Israel.
Even those who had reservations, not to say were shocked by the words, did not appreciate in their nightmares that this was not a tactical move to return to power, but rather the socio-economic policy of the Likud - once a popular party.
This is a budget that should be burned above the speakers' podium, such that all 56 members of the Knesset who were not part of the original coalition should resign in protest against its submission for approval.
Take to the streets, block the Ayalon routes and paralyze the country against him.
Instead, some of them chose to be partners in crime.
"No stomachaches for battered women", a phrase that has become a tactic for returning to power, to the declared policy of the government.
Miri Regev/Reuven Castro
Requiem for the future
Look at Bnei Gantz, who was warned in advance that he was not going to serve in the Netanyahu government, these are like a fig leaf.
The man only this week received an instructive demonstration of what is expected of him in the future (we have crossed here from economics to politics for only one paragraph).
Why is Netanyahu constantly marketing the "total victory" theory?
Not because he believes in its possibility, but because he knows that there is no chance that such a victory will be achieved.
What is the logic?
We got the promo this week, when Benny Gantz was presented as someone who undermines his rule and joins hands with the Americans and senior IDF officials to force a cease-fire before victory. It is
doubtful whether after October 7 this attempt to eliminate the three "enemies" (Ganz, Biden , Halevi) in one focused countermeasure, but Netanyahu is so desperate that he will not resort to any means (the crime and evil budget he submitted for Knesset approval is just an example).
Not even a "useful idiot" but a full partner in the economic crime against the State of Israel.
Benny Gantz/Flash 90, Yonatan Zindel
Under Netanyahu's stretcher
Why is Gantz willing to be an accomplice to the worst economic crime in the history of the State of Israel?
He once sold us the excuse that he got under the stretcher in the name of love for Israel, but the truth is that he didn't fall in love with Israel except for the polls that predict he will enter the prime minister's office.
Gantz was indeed warned by those seeking his favor that he was going to be Netanyahu's useful idiot, but it is doubtful that even the prime minister himself believed that it was going to be so easy.
The late Charlie Beaton handcuffed himself to the speaker's podium, Moshe Gafni YABDLA tore a tear over him. I don't like these performances from above the podium, but at least they drew attention for one moment to the orator's plight. Therefore, the members of the Knesset of the opposition had to hold on to all A means at their disposal to demonstrate their disgust with the budget and the government that approved it (including Gantz who opposed but did not rebel), a budget that sells the future of the State of Israel to dark parties, in the name of political survival is a bit difficult.
The fact that they accept the verdict relatively calmly, even without a filibuster is worthy of its name , proves that in at least
one area Netanyahu has achieved complete victory - what a shame it is not a complete victory in the war with Hamas, but in his unrestrained war against the State of Israel.
More on the same topic:
the state budget
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benny Gantz
Avi Maoz