The funds were instead of mortgage subsidies for 2010, which were unused.
The Knesset Finance Committee today approved a NIS 420 million supplement to the defense budget, using unutilized funds budgeted for mortgage subsidies in 2010.
During the committee meeting, MK Haim Oron (Meretz) said that the defense budget had grown by NIS 12 billion to NIS 61 billion in 2010, contrary to the original plan to spend NIS 49 billion on defense this year.
A Ministry of Finance Budget Department official declined to tell the Finance Committee the figures aloud while MK Ahmed Tibi (Raam-Taal) was present.
Oron asked the Ministry of Finance official to detail defense budget items in 2009-10. The official refused to state the figures aloud, but went up to Oron to whisper the figures in his ear. Tibi, who was sitting between the two men, asked the committee members if they would prefer that he leave. They laughed out loud.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 27, 2010
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