but, do you prmise victory and safety after all? so far you and your PM failed big time, and all what you brought was a totall distruction and death. Do the tax payers have to pay for your failure?

Get rid of all the "cash only" arsim.

They should pay from their own pocket... I guess that Israelis right now are thinking how to get rid of those "geniouses". Idiots. Instead of expending in a long term solution...

I will support tax increase or war bonds if this government quit. They have proved their incompetence and indecisivness.They wasted a lot of Israeli lifes, shurely they will waste money too. Bring a real leader and he/she will have my money.

sectors of society.Stop the child allowance for people who have not served in the I.D.F. Stop paying welfare for people who refuse work.Stop bringing over elderly immigrants and giving them pensions,apartments and medical care. Cut off money to institutions that serve draft dodgers.If they receive donations,tax them. Have members of the knesset and govt.cut back on trips overseas. increase the penalties for not paying taxes and put those that do not pay in prison.And cut back welfare payments to the families of prisoners.

"Tax the (tax-paying) citizens, reduce services, make sacrifices!" The voting and fighting and dying people of the country do not need socailists to tell them what to do, any more. Direct Representation, Now. Break up the monopolies, the ports, IEC, gov't 'workers', jobniks at the IDF, and the histadrut itself. Some fine people died in the last few weeks... let their deaths not be in vain.

They hand their people an astounding military defeat and make them pay for it. Wow. Genious, pure genious. Like I said before who needs Hezbollah and Hamas when you got these guys. Israelis need to realize that they need to win the war at home that is being waged against them by their own government before they can win a war abroad. Stop being a banana republic.

Seconded to both suggestions. there are plenty of ways to raise money and make this country more economically viable. Raising taxes should be the last resort, not first. There are too many hangers-on in our society both on the individual level and the institutional level. Why support them?

Peretz built his political career on opportunistic strikes that cost the economy billions of shekels. Now suddenly as defense minister he wants us to pay more taxes because the economy is short of money.

hike the taxes??? how much more can we afford to pay, after the rent, rates, pathetic wages, school costs (no this is not a free-education country) running a car......oh for god sake.....can't the jews in the diaspora put there hands in their pockets??? we the jews here are paying enough to keep this country alive, barely keeping ourselves alive in the process....PAY YOUR DUES...so yo can bask in the safety of somewhere to run to when you will eventually need to.

the Peretz-site Histradrut actually OPPOSES cutting salaries of senior bank of israel making 40-50,000 NIS because they do not want a precedent of cutting public sector pay

It's nice to see that other countries have tax and spend liberals too. You fought your war, now pay your taxes! Don't worry if you got what you paid for though. We'll tell you when the danger of allowing terorists to live next door is over. For now though, pay your taxes and then some!

cut taxes -what Israel needs now is economic growth-not sacrifice.

First of all, American Jews did in fact contribute a bundle during this war, at least, that's what Y Net reported last week. Where the money went is a good guess. I wonder just how many of the poor people who live in the north actually got any of that money at all. Your attitude of Jews in the diaspora having to help finance our extra burden is debatable: on the one hand, it's good for them to know we are here "just in case", sort of an insurance policy, and of course, having insurance does cost money. On the other hand, why should they pay? They don't live here, and many Jews don't really care what is going on here anyway. I personally would like to do without their handouts, but that does not mean that our spineless government needs to make us all suffer more. Truth is, they have more than enough money in the treasury to cover almost all of the damages from the war, and then some. I really do think that it is time for us Israelis to take action, instead of sitting around and complaining about the taxes,screwed up government, etc. I think that instead of expecting the Jews in the diaspora to pay, it would be a good idea if all the rich Israeli tax evaders paid their dues first, which would probably cover the entire cost of 10 such wars. I also think that the rich here should pay the most taxes, although I have no doubt that many of them will somehow end up richer because of all this. It always seems to be the struggling middle-class people who take the burden. We should really do something. If anyone who lives in Israel has any ideas, please post them here.

Surely, it would have been much better to consider these options before he embarked on a losing war! If he has any bit of dignity he would resign!

That is why I believe life would be far better with professional politicians! The vast majority of politicians are about advancing themselves and entering history books! The uniting thing about most politicians over the whole world is that they are all mad, power-crazy and mentally and (probably) financially corrupt. They only differ in the degree!

ask families - whose sons, parents, husbands etc. fight/fought in this damned war - pay money to cover the unbelievable expenses of an unnecessary war ? Let Olmert pay for his stupid decision.

The Treasury should think of returning VAT to 17.5% but exempting Electricity and Gas consumption from VAT up to a certain level. Raise duties on cigarettes, liquor and other luxury items. These measures would not dame growth and the lower and middle income groups will benefit as well as the health aspects of smoking and alcohol consumption.

How dare he suggest such a thing. However, it is typical of a socialist, tax everyone. I have a better idea, why doesn't he and the rest of the Kenesit give up their saleries for the rest of the year, make cuts in all those perks they all get, basicly stop living of my taxes. If after that there is still not enough money to pay for the war, then sell bonds to the people but raising our taxes only causes more harm than good

You surely have points to make...some I can agree with and some not...refer back to my first comment...I am not asking for handouts...I believe that a jew abroad SHOULD be paying towards this State. It should be a policy. As a jew, Israel is their homeland.... they can admit it or not, but history has prooved that the only time jews have been able to feel safe and lift their heads is because we are here providing a safe haven for them when the need arises (Argentinians, French etc...) I also know that we have been recieving donations, and badly needed they are. But I would rather see them here in person, making a life here...where they should all be.

I am just guessing that you are referring to my talkback, # 16. Unfortunately, many Jews not only do not feel that they should come here, even if just for a visit, but they are not even that terribly concerned right now. Yes, it's true, believe me. Not all Jews feel so strongly about Israel, and until the shit hits the fan there, they will identify themselves as Americans first, and as Jews second. But look here what I found in YNet - an article about someone who did come here to volunteer, and - HE IS A CHRISTIAN! http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3290793,00.html My point is, it would be a good idea to lower your expectations. I don't want those apathetic Jews here anyway, it's too crowded and they will take more jobs away from Israelis who need them. So let them send money, because that is their way of helping, and it is better than nothing at all. Living here, especially now, is most definitely not for the weak of heart.