The day after the Trajtenberg committee for social and economic change submitted its recommendations, the protest leaders announced that they will hold a huge rally on October 29, two days before the Knesset's winter session opens. Even before the committee released its recommendations, a Facebook page was set up for the rally, and garnered 2,700 RSVPs. The protesters are demanding a new budget for 2012 that emphasizes social needs.
At today's press conference, protest leader Dafni Leef, accused the Trajtenberg committee of tricking the public, and called on the public to display activism to force the government and the Knesset to reopen the 2012 budget, which was set last year as part of the biennial budget. Under the biennial budget, debate on a new budget will be held next year for the 2013-14 budget.
The protest official website, The Nation Demands a Social Budget, asks visitors to insert personal details and send a preformatted letter to every MK to demand that they seek to reopen the state budget.
The letter states:
Dear MK,
I, together with 85% of the public that supports the social protest, call on you to cancel the biennial budget and table a budget bill for 2012 - a social budget that is directed to the narrowing of gaps and increasing the state's obligations to deal with housing, jobs, education, health, and welfare for the benefit of all of Israel's citizens.
The changes proposed by the Trajtenberg committee are not enough. They are short-term, for just one year; they are not binding; they do not deal with a substantial part of the directives that the public no longer bear; and they do not suggest adequate sources that are needed to bring about genuine change in the sharing of the tax burden. Israel's socioeconomic policies must be fundamentally changed.
It is not acceptable that in the face of a protest by millions of citizens, the state budget - and with it, economic policy - remain as they are until 2013. You have the responsibility to set a new budget for 2012!
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 27, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011