From the BBC:
“Israeli cabinet backs huge
spending plan for Arab minority”
Israel's government has approved
plans to spend billions of dollars to improve conditions for its large Arab
minority, which has long complained of being marginalised. It will earmark
funding to help sectors including housing, education and employment over the
next five years. Ministers also passed a plan to spend almost $1bn (£730m) to
tackle high crime rates in Israeli Arab areas.
Arabs comprise about one fifth of
Israel's population of 9.3 million. The leader of the Arab Islamist Raam party,
which is in the governing coalition, welcomed the move. Mansour Abbas said that
although it "will not erase years of neglect, [it] will go a long way to
close the gaps between Jewish and Arab sectors". Israel's Arabs often
claim that their communities receive less funding per capita from the
government than Jewish communities. Tensions between the two communities soared
in parts of Israel earlier this year during an 11-day conflict between Israel
and Palestinian militants in Gaza. Israeli Arabs descend from Palestinians who
became Israeli citizens following the creation of the state in 1948-49. Many
still self-identify as Palestinian or express solidarity with those living in
the occupied West Bank and Gaza.
The biggest of the government's
plans includes spending $9.4bn (£6.8bn) on improving employment opportunities
and health services for Israeli Arabs, and investing hi-tech and housing, as
well as renovating ageing infrastructure, in Arab areas. It places a focus on
Israeli Arab women's health and on making it easier for them to access the job
market. The cabinet also backed a national plan to deal with spiralling crime
and violence in the Arab sector. This year alone more than 100 Israeli Arabs
have been killed in attacks by other members of their community. Bereaved
families and Arab officials claim that police inaction is one of the main
reasons, while the police say investigations are often hampered by a lack of
co-operation and trust. "The state will do its part, but the Arab
street must be all in as well," said Israeli Prime Minister Naftali
Bennett. "It will not be easy, but we must succeed." The plans
will form part of the state budget, which will be voted on by parliament next
month.
^ Hopefully this section of the
State Budget will pass next month and will go to help Israeli-Arabs. ^
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