Israel Matzav: Freeze enforcement funding rejected for 5th time

Freeze enforcement funding rejected for 5th time

The Knesset Finance Committee rejected an NIS 18 million funding request for the Defense Ministry on Tuesday, because at least part of the money was to fund 'inspectors' who would enforce the 'settlement freeze' in Judea and Samaria. It was the fifth time that the panel has rejected the funding request. MK's from both the coalition and the opposition (including Kadima) voted against the funding.

In accordance with a request from the Finance Committee during the previous session to discuss the funding, Maj.-Gen. Eitan Dangot attended the meeting to personally explain to the committee the need for the additional funds.

Dangot, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), told the committee that he felt that the word "inspectors" was unfair, and did injustice to the civil servants who worked in the difficult position of enforcing civil authority in the West Bank.

Dangot said that the request for NIS 18 million was not exclusively to fund inspectors for the building moratorium, but also for Civil Administration officials to engage in other activities including ecological protection.

He could not say what percentage of the NIS 18 million would be dedicated to moratorium enforcement as compared to the other activities included on his list.

MKs from both the opposition and the coalition, led by MK Uri Ariel (NU/NRP) refused to vote on the budgetary approval for the NIS 18 million before Defense Minister Ehud Barak stands before the committee to explain the need for the budgetary reallocation.

Heh.

Israel Matzav: Freeze enforcement funding rejected for 5th time