NIS 1.2 billion will be transferred to the Ministry of Defense and will also finance a pay hike for teachers.
The Knesset Finance Committee today approved a NIS 1.2 billion across-the-board cut in ministerial budgets for 2007. The cabinet approved the cut in early July. The money will be transferred to the Ministry of Defense and used to finance a pay hike for teachers.
The absence of Kadima MKs on the Finance Committee almost torpedoed the measure, and the committee was forced at the last minute to rely on the support of three replacements for the absentee MKs: MK Michael Nudelman and MK Menahem Ben-Sasson (both Kadima) and MK Michael Melchior (Labor-Meimad).
The transfers approved today are as follows:
- NIS 406 million to the Ministry of Education to pay for the teachers’ pay hike;
- NIS 269 million to the Ministry of Defense
- NIS 272 million to the IDF Home Front Command and for protection of communities;
- NIS 180 million for various defense measures;
- NIS 25 million to the Ministry of Public Security;
- NIS 10 million to local authorities and the Jerusalem municipality for events marking the 40th anniversary of the city’s reunification;
- NIS 8 million to the Prime Minister’s Office for events marking the 40th anniversary of Jerusalem’s reunification and Israel’s 60th anniversary;
- NIS 5 million to the Ministry of Science, Culture, and Sport for preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games;
- NIS 4 million to the Ministry of Health for Magen David Adom operations in Judea and Samaria.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on August 6, 2007
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2007