Minister of Finance and chairman of the Kulanu party Moshe Kahlon said yesterday evening, "The rumors and talk of a significant diplomatic move in our region are much more than just newspaper tittle tattle. There exists the possibility of a substantial change of direction in our region. I call on the Zionist Union to join the government and not miss the historic window of opportunity that has been created. You can't engage in a diplomatic process or generate change from the opposition."
Kahlon received a certificate of honorary citizenship of Netanya from the city's mayor Miriam Feirberg-Ikar yesterday. At the ceremony at the Netanya municipality, Kahlon spoke, and commented on recent political and economic events.
"This is not the time or place to go into detail, but we have a rare possibility of a significant change of direction at a regional level," Kahlon said, "The convening of a regional conference at which all stakeholders in the region are represented is an important, desirable, and worthy idea. I and the Kulanu party will support and strive to promote it with all our might. Such a conference will be a game changer, will open up new horizons for diplomatic progress, and has the potential for extracting relations between us and our neighbors from the deep freeze that they are in now. Such a move will be a spur to further broadening of the coalition, and I do not think that the Zionist Union can refrain from taking part in this challenge."
Kahlon further said that he was in close touch with ministers in the Palestinian Authority, and that he was making efforts to strengthen the Palestinian economy. "We shall continue to strengthen relations between us and the Palestinians, and base them on a healthy economy. Past experience shows that seeds sown on the economic plane bear fruit on the diplomatic and security planes."
On economic matters, Kahlon said, "For years, contractors and developers bought all the land and kept it. Land is the only thing whose value keeps swelling without anyone doing anything. Everyone made hundreds of millions over the years on the backs of young couples, anyone who could take a slice of their money.
"The buyer price program has put an end to this situation. In the coming years, no-one will get state land apart from young couples. At the forthcoming meetings of the Israel Land Authority, we shall push through a decision to extend the buyer price program for another three years. The truth must be told: the contractors, the banks, and some politicians, all want us to fail, but they can't stop us, and we shall continue with the program for as long I am finance minister on the State of Israel. We have shown that we know how to fight if necessary. If we have to fight with monopolies for the sake of the young couples, we'll fight with them."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 2, 2016
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