No budget for Gush Katif evacuees' kids
NIS 5 million lost in pipes between ministries. In meantime, youth counselors leaving, IDF prep programs closing, and Gush Katif kids are suffering. Likud MK Danny Danon blames his colleagues in cabinet
More than four years since being evacuated from Gush Katif, the evacuees are still suffering. The state commission of inquiry indicated failures that need to be rectified immediately, but the commission's interim report hasn't exactly slowed the government bureaucracy.
Ynet has learned that thousands of youth who grew up in Gush Katif do not have access to the educational and special care initiatives to which they are entitled.
Despite this, NIS 5 million (about $1.3 million) that were earmarked for the Education Ministry for various activities for the evacuees' children this year have not been transferred. In the meantime, educational counselors and guides are leaving, programs are closing down, and the government ministries are exchanging blame.
Finance Ministry: We didn't know
In the town of Nitzan, where many of the evacuees live, there are 940 children and teens. Youth director Yossi Dahari said in a conversation with Ynet that even though funding for the activities was promised in July, none of it has yet to be received and the municipality has been operating some of the activities on its own budget.Because of the lack of budget, a community center that ran after-school programs, an IDF preparatory course, and a program for the prevention of violence and drug and alcohol abuse has closed. Many of the lecturers simply stopped coming and counselors left because they did not receive their salaries.
The Knesset Committee for the Rights of the Child led by MK Danny Danon (Likud) toured Nitzan on Tuesday. Danon accused the State of being short-sighted in everything concerning the evacuees.
"The State must solve the problem. I expect the Education Ministry to fund activities and then continue fighting with the Finance Ministry," Danon said. "These children have been through a lot. The system treats them like it’s a temporary problem, but this isn't the correct approach."
According to Danon, "We are working hard to restore the faith of the children and the teens in the IDF and the State, but even the IDF preparatory course had to be closed. Teenagers are deteriorating and are not fulfilling their potential. This generation has grown up as the 'caravilla generation.' The government must take responsibility and invest at least the same amount of money and energy as it did in the evacuation."
The Education Ministry reported that the budget has yet to be transferred to the Finance Ministry and that a ministry representative submitted a request to expedite the process. "Upon receipt of the budget, the ministry will immediately transfer (money) for the good of the students," the ministry reported.
The Finance Ministry claimed that it had not been notified of any sort of delay in budget transfer to the evacuees' children. "The issue will be investigated and taken care of as soon as possible, if such setbacks do in fact exist," the ministry reported.
Yaheli Moran Zelikovich contributed to this report
