Knesset Finance Committee Withholds Defense Allocation Pending Inclusion of Protection for Sderot Schools…

Knesset Committee Conditions Defense Funding on Reinforcing Sderot Schools

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The Knesset Finance Committee today refused a request by the Finance Ministry to approve a 1.5 billion shekel reallocation of funds for defense expenses related to Israel’s recent war in Lebanon. The committee members conditioned the reallocation, which would transfer funds from other government ministries to the defense establishment, upon the Finance Ministry earmarking 100 million shekels for the reinforcement of school buildings in Sderot against rocket attacks. Committee chairman Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism) voiced the MKs concerns.

The southern city of Sderot has been a consistent target of Palestinian Authority terrorists in Gaza, with a recent upsurge in Kassam rocket attacks.

Prior to the meeting with the Finance Ministry representatives, the Knesset Finance Committee held a meeting during which the MKs heard about the financial and security needs of the communities surrounding the PA-controlled Gaza Strip ever since Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from Gush Katif in August 2005.