Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Deputy Prime Minister Abir Kara will meet tomorrow (Monday) with business owners at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem to discuss an outline for the course industry in the shadow of the spread of the fifth wave of the Corona.
The meeting will be attended by heads of organizations from the business sector and representatives from various industries in the economy, including tourism, culture, restaurants, textiles, banquet halls, gyms and more.
Last night, the Minister of Finance, Lieberman, had a meeting with representatives of various industries and the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Avir Kara, had a zoom conversation with business owners to understand in depth their demand.
During the meeting, Finance Minister Lieberman said: "I understand that there is some harm to some businesses in the omicron wave, but it is important for me to be visible to you because this time the aid must be targeted at the affected businesses, we will not abandon anyone and act responsibly and fairly."
The Minister of Finance listened to their claims and said: "We are in a complex period and in difficult times, but we approached this wave much more prepared than previous waves. We made dramatic decisions in this government that led to the recovery of the economy, we canceled In some businesses in the omicron wave but it is important for me to be visible to you because the assistance this time must be focused on the businesses that have been harmed, we will not abandon anyone and act responsibly and fairly.
He added: "In the next two months, we will continue to monitor the situation and the submission of VAT reports, and we will examine additional economic data in order to make the best decisions for businesses and the economy."
MK Lieberman // Photo: Oren Ben Hakon,
The meeting was attended by the Minister of Economy and Industry, Orna Barbibai, the Minister of Agriculture and Development of the Negev and the Galilee, Oded Forer, and the Commissioner for Budgets, Yogev Gardos.
According to government sources involved in the matter, an announcement on the issue of aid is expected in the coming days, but its details have not yet been closed.
Last weekend, business owners demanding compensation demonstrated in front of the prime minister's home in Raanana. The demonstrators carried signs that read: "Bennett, stop Lieberman."
The restaurateurs did not show up to demonstrate Friday in front of Bennett's home.
The chairman of the restaurant association, Shai Berman, explains in a conversation with Israel Today that for the restaurant industry, "the fifth wave was one too many.
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It is true that there are deliveries, but this option is not relevant to about one-fifth of the businesses in the field.
"We estimate a damage of 50% or more in the volume of turnover - we see this in areas dominated by tourism, such as Jerusalem and Jaffa, but also in the rest of the country, customers' willingness to go out and spend time has decreased."
Berman adds: "Unlike listed companies where the Treasury's requirement to see quarterly data is legitimate, small businesses live on cash flow. One month a restaurant drastically declines affects months, and the test should be different when it comes to small businesses. "They have to pay salaries on February 9. They do not have the privilege of looking so far."
Berman concludes that he "fears that the government will wait with the business compensation after the wave of omicrons ends and then the momentum for business compensation will be lost."
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