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Finance minister to Arabs: We'll narrow economic gaps
Hirchson attends conference calling for equality between Arabs, Jews, promises to launch new five-year plan that will narrow gaps between Jewish, Arab sectors in Israel
Roee Nahmias
Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson announced that he plans to launch a new economic model that would narrow socioeconomic gaps between the Jewish and Arab sectors in Israel. In a joint event held Tuesday evening in Jaffa, and that called for Jewish-Arab equality, Hirchson declared the establishment of a work team that would develop a five-year plan to narrow the gaps, tailored for the needs of the Arab population.
The minister made his plan public in an event organized by The Abraham Fund Initiatives, which promotes coexistence and equality between Jews and Arabs in Israel. Some 250 participants attended the event in Jaffa, including city mayors, Knesset members, religious leaders and Jewish and Arab businessmen. Several diplomatic envoys also participated, including head of the European Union delegation in Israel, and a representative of the American embassy.
According to Hirchson, out of the NIS 4 billion (about USD 900 million) that will be allocated for the rehabilitation of the north, one billion will be allotted to the Arab communities. "But this isn't the solution," the minister said, and explained that efforts for narrowing the economic gaps should be implemented according to the population's special needs and characteristics.
Chairman of the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, Shawki Khatib, who also spoke in the event, stressed that "despite the bitter experience, I believe that there is a true intention to better the situation of the Arab citizens, in accordance with what the finance minister said. Both Khatib and Hirchson expressed hope that the conference would mark "the opening of a better year with improved partnership."
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