A quiet budget cut passed in a Knesset committee during the Olmert administration has suddenly reared its head, placing hundreds of small social service programs on the chopping block effective June 1.
The legislation, approved by three Knesset Members at a meeting of the Knesset Constitution Law and Justice Committee in September 2008, is designed to eliminate small-budget projects operated by various ministries.
The projects, managed by aid associations set up by the Ministries of Absorption, Education, Health and Social Services, each involve budgets of a maximum of half a million shekels each.
Included among those projects to be slashed is an educational treatment center for at-risk youth, as well as therapy groups for young drug addicts and social and business initiatives among at-risk youths and young adults, all under the auspices of the Absorption Ministry.
The Netanyahu government first became aware of the issue about a month ago, when the Justice Ministry asked legal experts to identify and analyze legislation that had been recently approved.
The Finance Ministry said in a statement that it would propose a legislative amendment to remedy the situation, but it was not clear how many programs would be restored and how many would meet the axe.