Ministerial committee to oversee national priorities map
Barak to appoint committee to decide on list of communities eligible for special state benefits
Labor Chairman Ehud Barak notified Netanyahu of the objections, leading the latter to propose the committee. Netanyahu has used this solution in the past when dealing with the issue of the deportation of foreign workers' children. Barak accepted his proposal.
The Labor chairman also objected to small settlements included on the list of prioritized communities. "The Labor Party's preference is for the Galilee and the periphery communities, period," he said, adding that small settlements were usually a hotbed of extremism and should not be rewarded with state benefits.
"There are a number of small towns that consistently constitute a source of extremist activity that harms the delicate balance in Judea and Samaria," Barak said, referring to the torching of the Yasuf mosque on Friday.
At the weekly meeting Netanyahu said the current national priorities list includes two million citizens, 40% of them non-Jewish. "It includes benefits in the fields of education, employment, and infrastructure," Netanyahu said of the list. "The issue of defense is also addressed."
The prime minister failed to mention the settlements included in the list, as well as controversial cities such as Ashkelon. Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu ministers are demanding that the Gaza vicinity communities also receive benefits.
Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau demanded that the Gush Katif evacuees also be included. "They have been suffering from economic and education troubles for four years now," he said.
"We want to give actual assistance to those who carry the weight of economic and security issues," Netanyahu explained.
