Shout-out debate in the Finance Committee: During a discussion on the amended budget law for 2023 on Tuesday, sharp criticism was voiced about Minister Strzok's increase in the budget for purposes that do not directly relate to the war; MK Entrepreneurs was removed from the discussion after she made accusations against Smotrich.
Committee members convened today ahead of the bill's second and third readings. At the request of opposition Knesset members, representatives of the Ministry of Finance presented details of the coalition funds of the Ministry of Settlement and National Missions, headed by Minister Orit Struk.
Ministry representatives presented that after an additional NIS 200 million, the Ministry of Settlements' budget now stands at NIS 478 million, of which NIS 110 million is in reserve. Ministry representatives presented the nature in which the NIS 368 million was allocated. NIS 70 million was allocated to mission nuclear activity; NIS 94 million for the Settlement Division; NIS 38 million to the Secretariat for Strengthening Jewish Identity; NIS 32 million to support and renovate meetings; and NIS 71 million for a number of other areas – support for Area C, support from patrol teams and monitoring illegal construction in Judea and Samaria, and land enforcement.
Against the backdrop of the details, the opposition attacked: "The Finance Minister said that the money for security purposes is a liar," Committee Chairman MK Moshe Gafni responded: "I am not prepared for such a discourse, the money in question for security is in another section."
MK Naama Lazimi (Labor) attacked: "Contrary to Smotrich's claim and the claims of the mayors of Judea and Samaria, it is revealed today that there are no security clauses at all in the coalition budgets, and specifically not in Strzok's redundant office. Everything is sectarian and hypocritical to those close to political base, regardless of the war effort and the residents of the conflict line in the rest of the country. This budget is a usurpation! There is no security clause under these budgets. Instead, many funds are diverted to irrelevant places. The bloated and unnecessary Ministry of Settlement does not care at all about security, it abandons the citizens who need these budgets."
According to the opposition leader in the Finance Committee, MK Vladimir Belyak (Yesh Atid): "The security components in Judea and Samaria? At NIS 410 million, an unprecedented budget addition (only in 2023!) Orit Strock's invented Ministry of Settlements does not have a single shekel for the security components in Judea and Samaria. Not even one shekel to Ofakim, Netivot or Eilat. Why? Because before the security components, it was more important and urgent for the finance minister to lubricate his political base with corrupt coalition money. "Deepening Jewish Identity", "Jewish Identity Administration", "Jewish Identity Projects", "Settlement Division", "Mission Nuclei" - and several other code names for transferring hundreds of millions of shekels to Religious Zionist Party activists. The amount of lies, distortions and blackmail that I have seen in recent days in the Finance Committee is unimaginable. And all this - shamelessly - during the war. The truth must be told, especially now – the Netanyahu-Smotrich government is severely damaging Israel's war effort, dragging us into an economic catastrophe. Smotrich - Shame on you and resign."
200,<> a month for the Prime Minister's Studio
In addition, the discussion also dealt with the budget for the new studio in the Prime Minister's Office, which stands at about NIS 200,<> a month. MK Naama Lazimi attacked the funds allocated for Yossi Shelly's studio in the Finance Committee: "
It's not enough that they don't divert budgets from unnecessary ministries, they continue their irresponsible looting campaign, in the midst of one of the worst crises we've ever known. We did not receive answers as to why the studio's budget is under the "ministry's headquarters" and not under the "information" section, as if it were a small coffers of the prime minister and the ministry's director-general. Pindros said in the discussion that if this studio is closed, the Public Broadcasting Corporation should also be closed. There is no limit to ignorance – it is a complete lack of understanding of the difference between free and mobilized media. We will not allow these thugs to threaten our democracy and cultural institutions. State resources cannot be turned into "luxuries" that can be shut down. We will continue to make the voice of the free public heard."
Naama Lazimi was expelled from the Finance Committee because she wanted to condemn Smotrich's statement that Finance Ministry officials are "anti-Semites."
"Following committee chairman Farkas's request to retract her remarks about finance officials, I asked him to also condemn the fact that the finance minister calls his ministry officials "anti-Semites," and I demanded that the committee members join me in condemning it. Instead of joining the condemnation, the Speaker chose to exclude me from the debate! The coalition that disrespects the public, laughs at all of us, crushes public servants and puts a pass on the scrutiny of Knesset members – chooses to continue to tie the hands of Knesset members even in the most important debate on the state budget.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us