The Economic Affairs Committee, chaired by MK David Bitan (Likud), convened on Monday and received a report from Minister of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience MK Issac Wasserlauf (Otzma Yehudit) on the activity of his ministry. Minister MK Wasserlauf said that he had delivered his previous report before the war, and since then several things had happened, and the ministry had succeeded in providing responses both to the Tnufa Directorate and to the Tkuma Directorate, as well as assisting during Operation Rising Lion. He noted that the ministry’s base budget this year stands at NIS 300 million, but in activity scheduled for this year, NIS 850 million are slated to be transferred through the ministry. “This stems from the high level of confidence that various government ministries and the Ministry of Finance’s Budget Department have regarding the ministry’s performance, and we try to provide a response that is as quick and good as possible,” said Minister MK Wasserlauf.
The minister noted that on October 7 he had already approved support payments for municipalities in the Gaza perimeter region, and since then his ministry had transferred NIS 200 million. “They said that there was a huge shortage of portable shelters, and I understood that there was a breakdown of communication, so we carried out collaborations and we brought portable shelters to northern Israel and to the Bedouins in the Negev. During Operation Rising Lion, we looked for a place that the ministry could contribute to the war effort on the home front. We identified that there was a need to strengthen resilience, and we gave assistance to municipalities through 200 young adults’ centers that we budget. Everyone received, because direct hits are direct hits,” said Minister MK Wasserlauf. The minister noted further that there was an intention to establish a national bureau for reservists.
MK Alon Schuster (National Unity Party) congratulated the minister and the ministry staff for their work. Commenting on the situation in northern Israel, MK Schuster said that there were great gaps in the north and asked whether everything had been done to open the educational institutions in Kiryat Shmona on time. He added that the mayor had raised [the issue] of gaps, and that a few tens of millions of shekels could do wonders, to ensure that the Galilee receives what it needs. Minister MK Wasserlauf replied that NIS 200 million had been transferred to the Tnufa region [in northern Israel]. Yohanan Mali, Director General of the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, noted that the education system in the city [of Kiryat Shmona] was open and fit to open on September 1.
Committee Chair MK Bitan said in summation that he joined the congratulations for the work done by the minister and the ministry. He also read out congratulatory statements left by MKs Ron Katz (Yesh Atid) and Michael Biton (National Unity Party).
