The cabinet today convened the committee for Arab affairs headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and led by Minister for Social Equality Gila Gamliel. The committee announced a NIS 20 million allocation for a high-tech program for minority communities. The committee also discussed Cabinet Resolution 922 from December 2015, which provided for investments in the Arab sector totaling NIS 15 billion. It was reported in today's discussion that NIS 4.5 billion of this amount had already been allocated to economic development in Arab communities.
At the outset of the discussion, Netanyahu commented on law enforcement and crime in Arab society. "The law applies to everyone, and we are not willing to tolerate violations of the law. We are taking action against them, as I yesterday instructed the minister of public security to act against rioting and against shooting, as we saw. This fits in with the same concept of one country and one law, and we'll continue this way."
A clip was put on social networks yesterday of gunfire during a Bedouin wedding in the south. The groom was arrested today. In Arab society, however, severe criticism is being expressed about the absence of enforcement in a large number of killings and murder. A week ago, Forsan Khaled Joubrin, a 13 year-old boy, and Shafik Abu Aziz Joubrin, his 49 year-old uncle, were shot to death while taking part in an event in honor of a wedding in Umm al Fahm.
During today's discussion, Gamliel, who was involved in preparing the NIS 15 billion plan, said, "Resolution 922 is a revolutionary plan for promoting real social equality. In just two years, we have seen a substantial rise in Arab society in many growth encouragement indicators: the rate of eligibility for matriculation, the proportion of those studying in higher education, the number of those employed, and the employment rate. The fact that the program is so successful shows that the government's commitment cuts across ministries and political parties."
In the framework of the NIS 20 million allocation for high tech, it was decided today to construct rental buildings for high tech and high-tech services in minority communities. The Ministry of Transport will pave access roads to the industrial zones in which the buildings will be constructed. The cabinet announcement today stated, "The plan is projected to create conditions for adding thousands of new jobs in development, software, and services, and will contribute to narrowing the gap between supply and demand of employment in Arab society."
At today's meeting, an interim report was presented about implementation of the program in 2016-2017. According to the report, NIS 1.85 billion was invested in transportation and infrastructure, NIS 1.5 billion in reinforcing local authorities, NIS 800 million in education, and NIS 400 million in employment in Arab society.
The announcement said that as a result of the plan's implementation, the rate of eligibility for matriculation had risen 6.3% in the past two years, the number of students in Arab society was 2% higher, and 88,000 children and teenagers had joined the many informal education frameworks. 30,000 new placements in the labor market had been made through 23 employment guidance centers operated as part of the program, and the number of trips on public transportation had risen 127%.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 23, 2018
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