The cabinet today approved the proposal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Housing and Construction Uri Ariel, and Minister for the Development of the Negev and Galilee Silvan Shalom for aid to the residents of Sderot and the communities bordering the Gaza Strip. The purpose of the proposal is to strengthen the existing communities and encourage absorption and population growth.
The decision follows complaints by residents of these communities that despite the declarations by the government and the defense establishment about quiet, the actual situation is different. Many residents are not willing to return to their communities, and are even planning to demonstrate in front of the Knesset in the coming days.
Under the proposal approved this morning, public spaces, sports facilities, parks, public and cultural institutions, and reinforced day centers around the Gaza Strip and in Shderot will be rebuilt. NIS 9.6 million will be allocated from the budgets of the Ministry of Housing and Construction, the Ministry for Development of the Negev and Galilee, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of the Economy for this purpose.
The cabinet decision also states that the Ministries of Housing and Construction, Development of the Negev and Galilee, and Culture and Sports will formulate a plan for 2014-2016 aimed at budgeting and carrying out similar tasks in Sderot at a cost of NIS 13.5 million, to be allocated from the budgets of these three ministries.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 10, 2014
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2014