The commitment towards sustaining and potentially expanding the support for educational institutions in East Jerusalem remains firm. Over the past several years, this program has proven its effectiveness, achieving remarkable improvements in the educational sector of the eastern part of the city. Such endeavors not only bolster education but also play a pivotal role in diverting the youth from extremist ideologies and actions. Jerusalem's Mayor, Moshe Leon, reaffirmed this sentiment on Tuesday, following Finance Minister Smotrich's announcement regarding the suspension of specific funds for the Arab-Israeli sector.
Diving deeper into Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's plans concerning Arab-Israeli budget allocations over the next five years, it has been highlighted that financial assistance will be withheld. The hold will remain in place until proper mechanisms are instituted to address concerns related to nationalist motives and particular Islamic factions within universities. These groups have reportedly shown inclinations to back and motivate acts of terror as part of a larger nationalist resistance against the State of Israel.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich blocks funds set out for a course that would integrate East Jerusalem Arabs into Israeli universities.
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Highlighting his concerns, Smotrich noted that, sadly, a distinct nationalist bias has been evident within university circles in recent times. To counteract this, a collaborative initiative between the Ministry of Finance and the Jerusalem Municipality has been green-lighted. With an impressive budget of NIS 200 million, the primary aim is to foster high-value job opportunities for the Arab residents of East Jerusalem. The overarching goal is to lead them towards gainful employment, thereby severing ties with extremist factions and achieving the initial objectives for which the funds were sanctioned.
However, there seems to be a discrepancy in Smotrich's statements. While he alludes to a delay in a new five-year financial plan, pledging an aid of 2.5 billion NIS to East Jerusalem, the budgeting department of the Treasury has not registered any such allotment in their current fiscal documents. It's essential to note that a similar five-year strategy, which was approved by the Netanyahu administration in 2018, has been executed in its entirety, concluding in 2022.
Earlier in May, there were discussions at the governmental level regarding the possibility of reintroducing the five-year scheme. The primary objective is to bridge social and economic imbalances while fostering economic advancement in East Jerusalem. As per this directive, the Ministry of Jerusalem and the Ministry of Finance are anticipated to advocate for a sustained five-year blueprint. This led to the formation of a committee in partnership with the Jerusalem Municipality.
Israel's Smotrich blocks funds for Arab local councils, higher education in East Jerusalem Haaretz https://t.co/HAECyPHshF pic.twitter.com/si7ls9dPWG
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It's worth noting that while Smotrich insists that funds from the preceding plan inadvertently supported terrorist factions, authoritative sources within the Ministry of Finance disagree. They assert that the finances were judiciously allocated, focusing solely on fortifying the infrastructure and advancing educational establishments in East Jerusalem.
