

Referencing his comments about Riki Cohen, Lapid said that the middle-class figure would now pay NIS 385 (roughly $100) more in taxes a month. "I don't deny this is a lot of money, nor that she is hurt or angry, but she knows she lives in a State that can be counted on.
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"If she smokes," the finance minister added in regards a especially high tax hike on tobacco products, "and cigarettes cost NIS 15 more, then I recommend she quit."
Finance Minister Yair Lapid also commented on the 30,000 strong haredi protest held in Jerusalem Thursday, saying: "It won't help them. Enlistment is not an edict.
"My son enlisted and I enlisted. You wanted us to fulfill our promises, we will make good on our promises. There will be an equal shouldering of the burden in Israel."
Jerusalem protest (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)
Regarding housing reforms, Lapid added his goal was "to take lands from the Israel Land Administration at low costs and build apartments for rent. The more apartments for rent, the lower housing prices will be. It won't take a year, but we're working on it."
A few hours before Lapid started the video chat, some 200 protesters gathered in front of his house, crying out "There is no future in the Lapid way," (a paradoy on Lapid's party's name – Yesh Atid – which means: There is a future) and "Yair, get out of Facebook. "
One of the protesters said: "We're here to protest because there is an entire sector that the finance minister simply doesn’t see. Those are the lower class. He only addresses the middle-class, and he lied to them too."
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