Bill: Flags and uniforms to be made in Israel only

The idea of preferring national symbols like flags and uniforms that are made in Israel, has been raised in two separate Knesset bills by a group of opposition and coalition lawmakers.

The first bill was submitted by Knesset Members Shelly Yacimovich (Labor), Ofir Akonis (Likud), and Alex Miller (Yisrael Beiteinu). A similar bill was submitted by a group of MKs led by Nachman Shai (Kadima), Uri Orbach (Habayit Hayehudi) and Miri Regev (Likud).

The bills wish to amend the Public Tender Act so that it will give preferential treatment to offers from Israeli manufacturers, even if the prices are 50% higher than the foreign competition. If two or more Israeli manufacturers are competing for the tender, then foreign bids wouldn't be taken into account.

According to the bill, a product is considered Israeli if the manufacturer is a citizen or resident of Israel, or if the factory is registered in Israel or if the cost of Israeli components is at least 35% more expensive than the suggested price.

The bill's proposers reason that the sad phenomenon witnessed recently, where national symbols are made and imported from China and Turkey because of the cheap production prices. Israeli manufacturers simply couldn't compete against the cheaper prices offered by foreign manufacturers – which led local manufacturers to suffer from economic distress and even closure.

Moreover, foreign production has caused some embarrassing incidents: On Independence Day 2008, Bank Hapoalim gave out free national flags that were made in China, where the Magen David on the flag was placed in the wrong direction.

Moral Implications

The proposers claim that the national symbols express the values of the country and its people, and producing them in third world countries, because of the cheap production costs, raises the value we put on money above that of country and nation, the values on which we hope to raise future generations.

They argue that the moral implications of the phenomenon, in addition to the harsh economic implications which deter Israeli producers from taking part in these acquisition tenders, under the present law which lacks the preference amendment.

MK Yacimovich told Ynet that the first group is already in advanced deliberations with the government in a bid to receive its support.

In addition, ministerial legislation committee decided on Wednesday to push a bill that is similar to Yacimovich's bill, which proposes preferential acquisition of Israeli textiles - uniforms, clothes, tents, etc… in defense system, police, and prison service tenders.

The legislation began in during the previous Knesset. Today the ministerial legislation committee approved the enforcement of the Continuity Rule which allows the Knesset to complete legislation that passed a first reading in a previous Knesset.

The enforcement of the Continuity Rule means that the present Knesset will need to hold a second and third reading of the bill. It also means that the final obstacle has been removed.

• Follow Ynetnews on Facebook