A meeting of the Health Committee on Tuesday found that the government has not transferred funds for Judea and Samaria ambulance stations as it has in past years.
According to the Deputy CEO of the Yesha Council, Matanya Shapira, the additional budget is required due to the ongoing special security situation in Judea and Samaria, and the need to upgrade the emergency medical array in the region.
The Health Coordinator in the Budget Department of the Ministry of Finance, Tamar Chin, said that the Ministry of Finance does not oppose the transfer of funds, but the Ministry of Health did not include these funds in its budget priorities, so the money was not transferred. "If the Ministry of Health is interested, it can bring the issue for the government's decision."
Chin emphasized that funds that are in the base budget and are intended for first aid services in Judea and Samaria were transferred, and only the special addition was not transferred.
Ministry of Health Budget Officer Michal Levi said: "We did everything to transfer the funds, we advanced in the process with authorities and councils."
Interim Committee Chairwoman, MK Michal Woldiger, demanded that the ministries of Finance and Health find a solution and budget source for the additional funding needed for the launch stations: "We do not want residents to die due to an immediate lack of rescue services."
Haim Shachar, Treasurer of the Kiryat Arba Council, added: "The maintenance of a medical service falling apart because of some government decision is an unreasonable situation. The funds must be included in the base budget."
Israel Bramson, the mayor of Kiryat Arba-Hebron, told Arutz Sheva - Israel National News, "For the first time in almost 20 years, the budget did not arrive for the ambulance stations in Judea and Samaria, which harmed the service to citizens."
"I am happy to announce that we have now left the Knesset Health Committee, where the need to include this budget in the base budget was recognized. I want to thank the Yesha Council for initiating this important discussion, the representatives of the Ministry of Health and Finance who attended the discussion, the Chair of the Health Committee, MK Jonathan Misheriki, and the leader of today's discussion, MK Michal Woldiger, and MK Limor Son Har-Melech for their work on this important issue. Under no circumstances should such an important service to residents be harmed, especially in times of war."