Posted on 08/28/23
| News Source: Arutz-7
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich discussed the agreements that were reached regarding the supervision mechanisms to transfer funds to the Arab authorities.
"I am happy to tell you that the Israeli government accepted my demand to create a system to activate, inspect, and oversee the funds that are transferred to the Arab authorities to prevent the flow of the funds to criminal organizations," Smotrich stated."
According to him, "For many years they warned, they wrote reports, and made promises, now, for the first time, it's happening, we are stopping the crime organizations' commandeering of funds that are meant for the Arab authorities."
This system, which will apply to all funding, both joint budgets and development budgets, will be brought to be approved by the government, and until we are sure that it is established and working, we will not transfer a shekel to the authorities. I wish to thank the Prime Minister, Interior Minister, Shin Bet Director, and the Police Commissioner for their support and cooperation. We are dedicated to stop the crime and extortion, period," Smotrich concluded.
Smotrich also initiated a meeting with Ministers Arbel and Chikli and professionals to set the supervision mechanisms in motion.
After midnight on Monday morning, after more than five hours, a meeting between Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and the Director General of his Ministry, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel and the Director General of his ministry, the head of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), the Israel Police commissioner and representatives of the Arab local authorities concluded.
At the conclusion of the meeting, it was decided that, in accordance with the directive of the Prime Minister at the meeting of the Ministerial Committee for the Eradication of Crime in Arab Society, a package of laws will be promoted that will grant powers for criminal and economic enforcement against the organized crime organizations in the Arab society.
In addition, the Ministry of Finance will immediately budget tens of millions of shekels for technological measures required for the Israel Police to increase enforcement and personal security in Arab society.
The heads of the authorities agreed to the principle, which states that all the budgets will be transferred through activation, supervision, and control mechanisms that will ensure that the budgets are transferred to the benefit of the Arab citizens of Israel and not to criminal organizations.