Cabinet ministers received a notice yesterday asking them to attend a special cabinet meeting on the state budget to be held this Thursday and they are asked to evacuate the whole day, the whole night, as well as the possibility of "sliding" into Friday morning.
Finance Minister Smotrich in a statement: "We have built a strong economy - we will pay the price of war"
The prime minister, finance minister and government ministers know that the debate on the state budget will be tough this time, and mostly painful. In 2024, the State of Israel will have to adjust its budget to perhaps the most difficult war in the history of the country. This comes at a time when it is already difficult to live here, with an exaggerated cost of living and absurd housing prices. The 2024 budget is one of the most important that has been here in recent decades.
Precisely for this reason, the discussion about closing unnecessary government ministries should be put in proportion. In recent days, there has been talk only about this, as if closing the offices will lead to a solution. Well, she doesn't.
Government Ministries, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Small and insignificant amount
The closure of the offices is an important step, but it is only a symbolic step. It has no decisive economic significance. This is important, because when finance officials call on the public sector to make cuts, they will first of all, and rightly so, be sent to government ministers for cuts. Whoever comes to the Histadrut with a request to cut workers' wages will first be sent to make cuts with the ministers who will lead by example. Simple and just.
Closing offices is not a solution, and it will not bring economic well-being. The gap between the extensive media coverage of closing the unnecessary offices and the profit that such a step could bring is insane. Closing offices will lead to a cut of a billion, maybe NIS 2 billion, assuming ten offices are closed (spoiler: not going to happen). It's important, it's good, but it's a small sum in terms of a war that is expected to cost NIS 200 billion, and a budget cut that should be about NIS 20 billion.
A small sum in terms of a war that is expected to cost NIS 200 billion. The scene of an attack in the Gaza Strip, photo: AP
Closing an office does not necessarily mean that the auxiliary units located there will also be closed, and there are quite a few important units. The Israel Antiquities Authority, for example, which is located in the Ministry of Heritage, significantly assisted in identifying the victims in the kibbutzim. The budgets transferred by Strzok's Ministry of National Missions to the pre-military preparatory programs that created the best fighters cannot be stopped.
In fact, office closures mean the movement of auxiliary units from place to place. There is a vivid example of this – the closure of Minister Amichai Shikli's Ministry for Social Equality with great fanfare, when it was a step that in fact was not significant: this ministry was dismantled when the government was established, the units that were there and took care of veterans, Holocaust survivors and the status of women were dispersed to other places. The savings were minimal.
The office was disbanded. Shikli, Photo: Coco
Preserving the "skeleton"
Anyone who counts on the fact that after Shikli there will be a wave of office closures is mistaken. This is not only an economic issue but also a political one. When Netanyahu talks about this with Smotrich, the latter tells him that it's a matter for him vis-à-vis his partners, with his parties. It's no secret that Netanyahu isn't thinking about resigning after the war. His effort is to hold the 64 fingers. Closing offices is a political headache, and Netanyahu cannot afford to quarrel with Ben-Gvir over closing Amichai Eliyahu's office, with the ultra-Orthodox over closing Frosh's office, or with his party colleagues Gila Gamliel (Modi'in) and May Golan (women).
Partner problem. Smotrich, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Closing the ministries is not on the agenda politically. The challenge facing the government this Thursday is great, the solution will have to be very creative, and hopefully less painful.
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