Tayibe
Photo: Hassan Shaalan
Gov't postpones plan to invest NIS 15 billion in Arab municipalities
Likud ministers raise objection to the plan that does not include mixed cities; five-year plan to include development of education, transportation, employment and housing.
The government decided on Sunday to postpone the approval of a five-year plan to invest NIS 15 billion in the development of Arab municipalities in the fields of education, transportation, employment and housing.
Several Likud ministers, including Culture Minister Miri Regev and Science Minister Ofir Akunis, raised objections to the plan because it does not include benefits to municipalities with mixed Jewish and Arab populations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Social Equality Minister Gila Gamliel formulated the plan seeking to change governmental allocation mechanisms in an effort to narrow gaps and aid in the quick economical development of Arab society.
The Arab city of Tayibe (Photo: Hassan Shaalan)
Minister Regev explained her objection to the plan: "It's very important to take care of mixed cities and we're allowed to represent them, and we shouldn't apologize because they (the mayors of these cities) are from the Likud party - not all of them are from the Likud. We're talking about Haifa, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Ramla, Lod and Acre. These billions of shekels need to serve the Arab public in mixed cities as well."
As part of the plan, NIS 1.2 billion will be allocated to promoting construction in Arab municipalities, while NIS 1.4 billion will be allocated to bolstering local authorities in an effort to develop infrastructure.
The plan, if passed, will herald a big change in transportation, including increasing subsidies for public transportation in Arab municipalities, completing the infrastructure for public transportation and making the information accessible to the Arab public by translating it to Arabic.
To that end, 40 percent of the State of Israel's public transportation budget will be used in the Arab sector, as well as 40 percent of the budget allocated to transportation infrastructure in municipalities.
The plan includes extensive and in-depth investment in education in the Arab sector, focusing on training educators, educational achievements, and informal education - in both basic and higher education.
In the field of employment and economic development, 32.5 percent will be allocated in 2016 to the development of industrial areas in Arab municipalities. In addition, 17.5 percent of the Small and Medium Businesses Agency's budget will be allocated to businesses in the Arab sector.
Arab officials were outraged by the decision to postpone the vote until Wednesday.
The head of the Zemer council, Diav Ganam, said that he was surprised by the postponement. "Even if they pass this budget for us, we'll continue to demand more positions. If the government is calling for full equality, then we deserve all of the rights - just like in the Jewish sector," he said.
