After twice failing to obtain a cabinet majority for the Trajtenberg committee recommendations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is once again unready for the next cabinet meeting. Despite a public declaration by Netanyahu that the cabinet will implement the Free Education Law for children from the age of 3, he has no majority to do so.
Implementation of free kindergarten education will require an across-the-board budget cut, as well as cuts to specific programs at various ministries - which Shas and Israel Beiteinu both announced last night that they will oppose. They were joined today by Minister of Defense Ehud Barak and the three other ministers from his faction.
Earlier this week, Netanyahu said, "Next week, I will submit to the cabinet for approval the decision to implement free education from the age of 3 in Israel. The decision will result in a savings of NIS 800 per month on education in public kindergartens and daycare, and subsidies for afternoon care for children aged 3 to 9, on the basis of socioeconomic criteria."
Barak said in response, "There is no better investment in Israel's conditions than an investment in young children. Therefore, in view of the security challenges, and to provide the right response for the critical mass to the demands of the social protests, and in response to the global crisis that is in the offing, we must expand the budget. Sources should be increased for this purpose as follows: a surtax, cancellation of some tax breaks, and designated bonds for specific objectives."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 5, 2012
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