Ha'aretz, November 3, 1998
Peace Now Find NIS 1B. for Settlers in State Budget
By Amira Segev, Ha'aretz Correspondent
Peace Now assailed Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu yesterday for increasing budgetary
allocations for settlers while cutting other
parts of the budget.
Mosi Raz, the movement's director-general,
wrote Netanyahu a letter listing some NIS 1
billion earmarked for settlers in the proposed
budget. "There are serious cuts in the budget
stemming from the slowdown caused by the
faltering of the peace process," Raz wrote.
"Nonetheless, a look at the budget shows that
your government doesn't scrimp on anything to
do with coddling the settlers, especially the
most extreme settlers."
Raz said the proposed 1999 budget allocates
NIS 84.28 million for paving roads within
settlements, and NIS 34 million for bypass
roads in the territories. The total allocation
for road-paving through the budget year 2000 -
when the roads are scheduled to be completed -
is NIS 395 million.
Meanwhile, the National Infrastructures
Ministry has no money slated for "red roads"
within the Green Line - that is, roads on
which an unusually high number of accidents
occurs.
Raz also said the Agriculture Ministry had
budgeted NIS 190.09 million for settlements
beyond the Green Line. The letter said that
sum includes NIS 60.77 million for "central
activities" - which Raz said were not defined
in the budget - and NIS 31.76 million for a
reserve fund for future settlement activity.
Raz also said the Agriculture Ministry budget
includes NIS 1 million for the "Shavei Hevron"
yeshiva in Hebron, NIS 1 million for a Torah
study hall in Elon Moreh, NIS 900,000 for a
Hesder yeshiva in Har Bracha, and NIS 825,000
for a swimming pool in Homesh.
Raz wrote Netanyahu that cancelling the NIS 1
billion worth of allocations would cover the
full tuition costs of 100,000 university
students. "It is embarrassing that these funds
are being given to people who called your
[signing of the Wye Memorandum] 'an act of
treason,'" Raz wrote.
The Peace Now leader also pointed out that
Jews wishing to buy homes in the settlements
are entitled to grants of NIS 25,000 to NIS
105,000 toward their mortgages, in addition to
a seven percent income tax credit.
According to Raz's letter, the Ministry of
Industry and Trade has allocated NIS 76.32
million for Judea, Samaria and Gaza.
(c) copyright 1998 Ha'aretz. All Rights Reserved
