"If I were a bank manager today, I'd open branches in the Negev."
"If I were a bank manager today, I'd open branches in the Negev. Not opening branches there makes no business sense," Supervisor of Banks Rony Hizkiyahu told the Knesset Economics Committee yesterday. He was commenting on a proposal by MK Amira Dotan (Kadima) and MK Colette Avital (Labor) to open a branch in the Bedouin town of Rahat.
Hizkiyahu added that the Bank of Israel would examine the banks' conduct in outlying areas, particularly in Arab communities, and why the banks don’t open branches in them. He made it clear, however, that the Bank of Israel had no legal authority to force the banks to open branches or to intervene in the banks' considerations. "Profits are the banks' sole consideration," he said.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 25, 2008
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