The cabinet is expected to approve on Sunday a series of proposals submitted by the Trajtenberg Committee in response to the summer's social justice protests. Heavy lobbying efforts took place throughout the week in an attempt to secure a majority in favor of the plan's approval, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's first attempt to get the recommendations approved failed last week due to opposition from senior coalition partners Yisrael Beitenu, Shas and the Independence party, as well as several members of the ruling Likud party. In exchange for its support for the plan, Yisrael Beitenu demanded three changes: affordable housing for working people, subsidized assisted-living facilities for seniors, and a doubling of grants for discharged soldiers and national service volunteers. Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov (Yisrael Beitenu) confirmed on Saturday that the party was likely to vote in favor of adopting the recommendations, but added that a final decision on the party's position would be made only on Sunday morning. Homefront Defense Minister Matan Vilnai (Independence) said that while his party supported the plan in principle, it would object to any move to cut the defense budget to pay for the recommendations. Shas announced on Saturday night that it would vote against the proposals unless they included plans to construct subsidized public housing for the poor. The government intends to seek cabinet approval for the Trajtenberg report in its entirety, after which discussions will be conducted on the committee's individual recommendations. Netanyahu said at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday that approval of the recommendations would lower the price of goods and services, reduce education-related expenses and customs fees, and increase the availability of housing in Israel. Student groups reiterated their objections to the committee's recommendations over the weekend. National Union of Israeli Students head Itzik Shmuli said that while the report contained many important statements, its recommendations were meager and insufficient. The students are going to fight with all of our might for real housing solutions, including public housing, for free public education for children immediately following maternity leave, for ending outsourced employment by manpower companies, and for reducing the prices of basic goods, Shmuli said. He said the students were planning to intensify their struggle for real solutions.
Cabinet expected to approve plan for social change
Members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet are reportedly prepared to vote in favor of the Trajtenberg Committee's recommendations, after a previous attempt to pass them last week failed • Students reject the report.
Load more...