Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is convening his cabinet today to vote on Finance Minister Silvan Shalom’s proposed government budget for 2003. Yesterday Sharon met with coalition party leaders in an effort to obtain their support for the plan. A group of ministers including Shas party leader Eli Yeshai, and Yisrael Ba’aliya head Natan Sharansky have expressed opposition to the proposal. There is concern that the cuts will deliver a severe blow to low-income Israeli families already suffering from the current economic crisis.
The extreme left-wing Meretz party has substituted an alternative budget that calls for the elimination all funding to Yesha (Judea, Samaria, and Gaza) communities. Their plan also calls for the closure of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and an increased tax on stock market gains.
The extreme left-wing Meretz party has substituted an alternative budget that calls for the elimination all funding to Yesha (Judea, Samaria, and Gaza) communities. Their plan also calls for the closure of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and an increased tax on stock market gains.