Welfare Minister Haim Katz (Likud) has ordered Bituah Leumi to forgive the debts of poor citizens. The total amount of these debts is estimated to be about a billion shekels ($254 million US).
"Since most of the debtors are elderly members of the population, I ordered Bituah Leumi to cease chasing citizens for such old debts," said MK Katz.