Bezalel Smotrich
Localities, including predominantly Jewish ones, with higher levels of crime would undergo stricter supervision.
The finance minister cited the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in calling out what he called a hypocritical stance.
The money will move soon, provided oversight mechanisms ensure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
The initiative comes after a series of Palestinian terrorist attacks.
Israel’s premier, Justice Ministry and National Security Council reportedly pressured Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to fund the program.
The proposal’s official objective is to assist communities living under the threat of Palestinian terrorism.
Left-wing activists on Monday placed mock graves outside the Religious Zionism Party offices in Jerusalem.
“These are new buildings built on private Arab land, they cannot be regulated,” said Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has held up the budgets, insisting that proper oversight mechanisms first be implemented.
There’s “no justification” for the special grants, said the Israeli finance minister, as they already receive the same amount as other authorities.
“The U.S. can’t have it both ways with Smotrich,” according to a government source.
Naomi Kahn is pushing back on perceptions about the Israel land protection NGO: “We’re more necessary as a lobbying organization now than ever.”
