News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Attorneys for the government told the Supreme Court on Sunday afternoon that during next Sunday's cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert plans to bring up a 600-million-shekel proposal to complete fortification of residences in communities within 4.5 kilometers (about 3 miles) of Gaza against missile attacks originating in the Hamas-controlled area. The announcement was made in connection with a petition by residents of the area to speed up implementation of the program, which was approved at the end of February. The government will officially notify the court of the decision a week from Wednesday.

The attorneys said budgetary funding for the fortification - if approved - represents a part of the government's program to accelerate development of infrastructure and to prepare the Israel economy for the possibility of recession by providing stability.