Netanyahu attacked Mandelblit in closed talks over his criticism of the aid program for the economy • "Maybe we will not bring vaccines now because there are elections? This is insolence," he said
PM Netanyahu and Spokesman Mandelblit // Photo: Oren Ben Hakon, Gideon Markovich
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Israel Katz want to pass an economic aid plan, but Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has issued a letter warning of an election economy.
In closed-door talks, the prime minister attacks the ombudsman harshly and claims that the ombudsman's claim to an election economy is no less insolent.
"50,000 businesses are going to collapse, we will not help them now because there is an election ?! Maybe the vaccines are also an election economy ?! Maybe we will not bring vaccines now because there are elections ?! Maybe we will wait a few months with the vaccines until after the election so he does not claim 'election economy' "It's insolence," Netanyahu said.
He said, "He (the Speaker; YS) does not decide. The Knesset decides. I come to save the economy, we will wait a few months because Mandelblit has ruled that we will not bring it up in the election? It is ridiculous. We will formulate what we want. He has no authority. He is a consultant. "He should go to the High Court and the High Court will stop helping businesses. Stopping financial aid is like stopping vaccines."
As you may recall, on Wednesday Mandelblit sent a letter to the Minister of Finance, in which he addressed the issue of promoting economic programs during the election period.
The ombudsman warned Katz that election economics should be avoided, and no, legal advisers would be forced to intervene. Mandelblit wrote:
He expressed readiness to support various economic initiatives of the government, but at the same time sought to warn the ombudsman "against improper use of governmental power and state resources for propaganda or gaining an unfair advantage for the party or candidate."