Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni on Thursday morning attacked Finance Ministry officials and described pressure he said had been exerted on him over his support for regional councils - at times in opposition to the Ministry's position.
Speaking during a meeting between regional council heads and party leaders held at the Regional Government Center, Gafni emphasized to local authority leaders and representatives of agricultural communities his longstanding commitment to the regional and agricultural sectors. At the same time, he sharply criticized the professional echelon at the Finance Ministry.
"I have never been bought off by sectoral interests, and make no mistake about that," Gafni declared. "There were many times when Finance Ministry officials directly threatened me that if I supported the regional councils, agriculture, and issues important to you, they would freeze funding for yeshivas and the Torah world."
"I stood up to them. I did not give in then, and no one should think I will give in in the future."
Gafni added that he views strengthening the periphery and Israeli communities as a top priority and promised, "I have always supported you and will continue to help you with all my strength. The regional councils and Israeli agriculture are a critical and central pillar of the State of Israel's resilience."
"The next government to be formed will need to prioritize strengthening regional government, and advance genuine reforms that provide the councils with all the tools and resources they need to function, and I will be there to make sure that happens."