Any growth for Israel's defense budget must be paralleled in its social budget, Labor-Hatnua leader Yitzhak Herzog insisted Wednesday.
Speaking at a financial conference for the Marker, Herzog claimed that Israel's economy is crumbling and that there is a direct link between its social and economic policies, and matters of defense and diplomacy.
"We'll get the Israeli economy out of the abyss, and the citizens of Israel will feel the change in their pockets," he stated, according to Channel 10. "This is the mission I would take on in my first day in office."
"The government has a responsibility for the lives of all citizens, not just a few who are connected," he continued. "The political ideas of the right-wing leadership are not only a danger to democracy but also to the economy, which could be relegated to the darkest corners of the world economy because of them."
Herzog promised that a social focus would promote "growth and development" and lead to "profound changes in the labor market," to break down "the barriers faced by Arabs and the haredim," and to make use of Israel's resources.
He also made grand promises regarding the housing crisis, to build "thousands" of housing units in a realistic price bracket for the middle class.
Recent polls suggest that Herzog could have up to 24 seats in the next elections, to be held on Tuesday.