Live broadcast: The Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance hold a press conference tonight where they present a new economic plan to help citizens • Families with children will receive between 2,000 and 3,000 shekels and a person over the age of 18 - 750 shekels • "In this way we will be able to move the wheels of the economy"
Fighting the economic crisis following the corona: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Israel Katz this evening (Wednesday) launched the new economic assistance program for citizens at a special press conference.
GPO
According to the plan presented tonight (Wednesday), a family with one child will receive a grant of NIS 2,000; A family with two children will receive NIS 2,500 and with three or more children NIS 3,300. The other citizens will receive NIS 750 each. The funds will be transferred through the Social Security mechanism and the Prime Minister's intention is to transfer these grants in the coming days.
Netanyahu noted that "we will try to pass it with the consent of the government. I hope we will not join legislation for that matter, because it is a pity - it will take more time and the idea is to pass it immediately.
"Why do we give this money? We need to motivate the economy. When we give this money people go to buy - it encourages consumption and employment. This is how the economy works. I tell you: buy made in the country, blue and white. It's okay, Bnei Gantz Agree, "the prime minister said.
"If we start arguing about criteria, it will take a long time - not months, but weeks. You citizens of Israel need that money now. Professor Feldman said in economics: It is better that in two years we look back and say we gave too much, than look back and say we did not give enough. "The position of the IMF. Japan and South Korea have done so. I tell you this is a follower of the free economy," Netanyahu added.
The prime minister was asked about his intervention in order to bring about the dismissal of the head of the budget department at the Ministry of Finance, Shaul Meridor, and chose not to answer the question - he did not deny the matter. Earlier, Meridor said about the plan, that "if it is approved as it is, it will bring us into a state of Venezuela's economy." He expressed astonishment at spending NIS 6 billion on the state and in fact said that such a plan would undermine the Israeli economy.
Netanyahu explained that in 2003, as finance minister, he provided assistance to businesses when the interest rate that Israel paid on raising debt was 10% -12%, while today we raise funds in the tenth percent, so today we are much more able to do so.
The Minister of Finance, Israel Katz, also spoke during the event and said that "this plan - of a grant for every citizen is a complementary step to the economic plan. It is not a classic economic step. It provides a safety net for employees, self-employed and business owners. It is a complementary step. "Criteria to approve the growth, the demand for all people. This is something that has happened in other countries. This plan is legislated in the Knesset - at the beginning of the week we will finish the legislation and launch it then regularly as a supplement the money will be transferred - in seven monthly payments in addition to the incoming salary."
"People do not want business assistance. They want the business to be able to operate, but because of the presumption of morbidity we need to help them. We will continue with this. The business grant was transferred - about half a million people returned to work. Once they started closing areas and demand dropped - they released workers and we need to be prepared. "For all this system. The economic response is broad and effective. And where are the trainings? They are inside. And so is the growth," the finance minister explained.
All the steps are in two arms that will meet in a year - both the disease and the Israeli economy that will connect at a higher point than we started before the Corona and to give hope to every citizen we have won both in health and economy. It is important that the Israeli economy is not closed. Trust us, we will live up to what we promised. This step is another step - everything will come. We need to build the State of Israel so that it can return to being a leading country in the world, "said the Minister of Finance.
Earlier tonight, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said, "We have quite a few conclusions from the field trips we have taken in recent days. One should always remember that there is no scientific theory of how and what should be done. I want to say that in recent days I hear a question that raises ridicule - who is in charge? "The incident? Then I will say that I am responsible for the incident, I have the authority and I take responsibility."
Regarding the chances of entering the closure he said: "It's not just chances, I ask if we are really in an emergency why every time they try to restrict gatherings we encounter a heroic struggle for the same areas? If we can take steps we will not get there, we need to take intermediate steps "If we sit idly by in the next few days, reality will lead us to a closure. Interim steps must be taken if we do not want to reach a general closure."
