Construction freeze in Maale Adumim
Photo: AP
Budget for freeze inspectors approved
After six hearings Knesset agrees to fund 11 inspectors to maintain West Bank construction freeze
The defense establishment succeeded Wednesday in securing Knesset approval of the budget for construction freeze inspectors in the West Bank.
The millions required for them move were withheld for five meetings, with a majority voting against the budget.
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However on Wednesday the coalition succeeded in securing a majority and making sure the Likud objectors were absent from the vote.
The Knesset Finance Committee had also insisted that Defense Minister Ehud Barak be present at the hearings in order to explain the need for inspectors, but the coalition made sure this condition was withdrawn and Barak was absent.
However the appeal for funds was softened by reducing the number of inspectors required from 14 to 11, which decreased the amount needed by around a million dollars.
Thus the chairman of the Finance Committee, Moshe Gafni, was required to put the budget to a vote under the watchful eye of the coalition.
MK Uri Ariel (National Union), who opposed the move, said that "the coalition bought the bluff sold to it by the Defense Ministry by reducing the number of inspectors".
The Likud stated that the inspectors would be given additional duties related to coordination, aside from ascertaining that the construction freeze was being upheld.
