Almost three years into the political crisis, Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman is conducting a three-way battle.
During tedious negotiations with the teachers' organizations, a few days before the start of the school year, he is also navigating the turbulent waters of a global economic crisis and preparing for elections in November.
In an interview with Israel Hayom, he predicts an explosion in Likud in the event of a loss, insists on the need to change the compensation system for teachers, and believes that we will soon see a moderation in the rise in housing prices.
Regarding the question about the opening of the school year, Lieberman clarifies that the Ministry of Finance will make "every effort to open the school year at the right time on September 1".
The gaps between the parties are still very large. What is the main argument between you?
"The Teachers' Union wants to put all the emphasis on the issue of seniority. We believe that the emphasis must be on excellence. We are talking first of all about the quality of teaching and the adaptation of the education system to the economic system in Israel. In Israel there are 45 vacation days a year, and there is no compatibility between the economy and the education system. There is no Such is the number in any normal western country. We asked to reduce it by 10 days to make it easier for the parents and the Israeli economy - all kinds of holidays were prohibited, the 3rd day of the Omer, the holy day.
Every day like this costs the economy NIS 200 million.
"We asked that up to 10% of the teachers be employed on a personal contract, that they not be part of the collective agreement. If you want to strengthen the system and bring in people from high-tech, industry, academia - obviously you have to give them this option, otherwise no one will come. There is opposition here too.
The chairman of the teachers' organization, Yaffe Ben David,
"We need to give more powers to the school principals, give them a budget of NIS 36,000. That the principal be able to distribute 3,000 NIS every month between three teachers and give another NIS 1,000 a month as a reward for excellence. No one knows better than the school principals which of the teachers invest more and which less There is also a problem here - we want to bypass the district inspector as much as possible.
"We also want the minimum job scope to be 70% from next year, and gradually to reach 100% of a job. We don't want part-time jobs. In addition, we want to allow the scope of a teacher's job to be increased to 140%."
The Minister of Education previously spoke in the same spirit, about the importance of giving administrators autonomy and excellence.
Why is it still so difficult for you to reach agreements?
"Regarding Shasha Biton, if you go to the platform of 'Tikva Hadada' and take a look at the education section, you will find that it is written there about the appropriateness of vacations, about excellence, about a salary for a beginning teacher of 8,000 shekels, when we are ready to give 9,000 shekels. But in practice the Ministry of Education is synchronized with the Histadrut the teachers".
We remember that the Minister of Education fought during the Corona period so that the children would not miss a single day of school.
"I'm not a commentator, I leave that to you. It is what it is. But when they (teachers' organizations - SG) hear that the entire political system comes out and backs them up, then they only act.
They feel they have their back, and they are only digging in their positions."
"It is clear that what interests all the ministers who are being interviewed right now is the vote on November 1. They are talking about September 1, but their thoughts are on November 1, and all their considerations are electoral. I told them: 'Guys, move, leave this whole issue On a business level, and the only ones who will conduct negotiations are the people of the professional level because they are devoid of political interests.''
Prime Minister Yair Lapid, photo: Mark Israel Salem
Prime Minister Lapid said he would intervene. Do you think it will really get there, or will someone have to be flexible?
"As far as I'm concerned, the things are clear. The easiest thing is to follow the advice they give me - to pour in money, and everyone would clap their hands and a savior would come. I don't want to keep more of the same. I'm not going to sign anything I'm not satisfied with."
"Prevent a strike without concessions"
Is Lapid acting out of political considerations in a crisis?
"I don't know what considerations they act on, what interests me is to bring about a correct result, I am ready to pay electoral prices for that, I am a clean and matter-of-fact operator."
Who is more worthy to form a government, Lapid or Gantz? Who would you recommend?
"It's not interesting. We're in a difficult time economically, and that's what I'm focusing on. After the elections, we'll see the results. As Begin would say: when we reach the bridge - we'll cross it."
Sixth election, or a government with Netanyahu?
"There is no government with Netanyahu, in any case, under any circumstances. I'm not ready to enter a government with Netanyahu because it's a government that will only deal with closing his legal cases. Everyone understands that a Netanyahu government will only deal with the enhancement clause and the French law, and we probably won't be there."
Chairman of the opposition, Benjamin Netanyahu, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
You are talking about governmental stability. Since you left your natural bloc on the right three years ago, we are in a political crisis.
"My natural bloc is unfortunately very small, and it is only Israel Beitenu. There is no other right-wing party in the State of Israel. Netanyahu has nothing to do with the right. He handed over Hebron to Arafat, voted for disengagement, released Yahya Sinwar, and more. Unfortunately, in the State of Israel The definition of right-wing is only in the political question. In all normal Western countries, right-wing is first of all an economic concept."
Why didn't you want to make a surplus agreement with Yesh Atid or the state camp?
"They both approached us and we refused. On a practical level, we thought it was wrong in terms of the vote calculations because these are bigger parties. And also in terms of the political message - it's not true, because unfortunately the only right-wing party is Israel Beitnu, and we have no one here to sign with, so we preferred Do not sign."
You say you have no one to sign with. How did you sign with Lapid in the previous elections?
"Israel Beitenu proved, especially in the last year in the government, that it is the only right-wing party."
You are dismissing the common one, Netanyahu and the ultra-Orthodox. So what government do you propose?
"If Netanyahu reaches 61, as far as I'm concerned, it's a disaster for the State of Israel, but no one will ask me. If Netanyahu reaches 59, then this is the beginning of the big bang in the Likud. I spoke with the top of the Likud, with senior members of the Likud Knesset. They are furious , they are angry. As soon as he reaches 59 or below, they will not keep him. Put him in a faction without a primary, or a primary within the faction, or there will be splits. There are strong people there who have a full stomach."
Are these Israel Katz and David Bitan that you spoke to?
"I don't remember who I talked to, key people in Likud. People I've known for many, many years."
Netanyahu and David Bitan // Photo: Oren Ben Hakon, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Returning to the negotiations with the teachers' organizations, you met with Ben David several times - how did you make an impression on her?
"I respect Yaffe, I appreciate Lapid very much, I have excellent relations with Shasha Biton. But there is a real gap here. Yaffe Ben David is the representative of the Teachers' Union, the others want to end it as soon as possible out of fear of how it will affect the ballot. I Trying to finish it matter-of-factly."
If there is still a strike in the education system, will it be your failure?
"It is very important to prevent a strike, but not at the price we give up. The collective agreement with the Teachers' Union expired in 2016, it is no coincidence that they have not been able to extend it since then. I don't know when the next opportunity will be."
We have seen over the years that in the end the teachers' organizations bent every minister of education and every minister of finance. What makes you think you will succeed?
"Unlike others, I'm probably ready to pay the electoral prices, and I'm not going to give up. I don't know when the courts will come into the picture here."
Will you issue restraining orders?
"There is no doubt, but first we will try to exhaust the negotiations."
"You have to resist the temptations"
Regarding the struggle of the specialized doctors - their claim is that the Treasury did not transfer the money that was agreed upon (NIS 66 million), which was supposed to start the first phase of the reduction.
This is true?
"We have here in line the teachers' union, the interns, the teachers' organization, the assistants, the police, and a package deal with the Histadrut. Everyone is right, but when you say 'yes' to everyone and get everything they demand, and everyone is currently watching to see what will happen with the Histadrut - it is devastating To the core of the entire system of labor relations in Israel, to destroy the budget and the economy. We need the ability to withstand pressures and temptations, and I do not intend to give up.
"If there is justification to give someone a salary increase and reach a settlement - these are the assistants. We made sure to give them a one-time grant of NIS 1,500 from September 1, but I would have preferred a comprehensive agreement. Unfortunately, the legal advice to the government does not allow this."
Early childhood reform Lieberman Shasha Biton and Orna Barbiei, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Apartment prices jumped by about 18% in the last year.
What can you say to the young couples who don't have help from their parents, don't work in hi-tech and can't buy an apartment?
"After three years in which there was no marketing, no planning, and no construction starts - as we expected, there is an increase. In the last two quarters, we are talking about 40,000 construction starts - a decades-old record. In the end, it's all supply and demand, we have to last three or four years At this rate: 80,000 construction starts each year. If we stick to this, we will make housing affordable, everything else is slogans. During Netanyahu's time, who preaches morality, housing increased by 130%, in his first year housing increased by 19%. This housing Processes that take time, it's not hocus-pocus, so governmental stability is important."
Were you surprised by the rate of increase in apartment prices?
"I said that by the end of the year it will rise around 12%-11%, and that is exactly what happened in 2021. In 2022, I believe that in the next month we will see a moderation in apartment prices. I believe that, despite the elections, we will continue to build at a rate of 40,000 units per six months , then we will also see a decrease in housing prices."
The cost of living continues to rise: the price of electricity goes up, the prices of dairy products, supermarket products, the rent, the mortgage payment.
New apartments in Rosh Ha'Ein (archive), photo: Yehoshua Yosef
"Let's look at the facts, water is 70% cheaper than the world average, the electricity rate is cheaper than the average in the European Union. Why have fruit prices increased by 8% in recent months? The reason is 'anti-Zionist cockroaches'. The Plant Protection Authority blocked the Imports are complete, even though I lowered the customs duty."
One word about the interest rate of the Bank of Israel?
"The issue of interest has nothing to do with the Ministry of Finance. There is no crisis in the State of Israel. On the contrary, we are dealing with the economic crisis better than any other country. In Britain there is more than 10% inflation."
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