Hamad Awidate, Druse from Majdal Shams 311.
(photo credit: Ben Hartman)
The cabinet on Sunday approved NIS 350 million over four years for Beduin
communities in the North.
“The goal of the plan that we have approved is
to develop and strengthen the Beduin communities in northern Israel,” Prime
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told the ministers.
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plan. I remind you that one year ago we decided on an approximately NIS
800m. five-year plan for the development of the minorities
sector.
“We also recently decided on an NIS 680m. plan to develop the
Druse and Circassian sectors.
“Indeed, along with the plan that we will
approve today for the Beduin in northern Israel, we are talking about an overall
investment of approximately NIS 2 billion to implement our policy of reducing
the gaps between the various sectors of Israeli society,” Netanyahu
said.
The initiative calls for spending NIS 70m. on education including
for toddlers and for youth at risk, and NIS 40m. for new
classrooms.
About NIS 100m. will be spent on infrastructure, including
sewage treatment, and NIS 90m. will be spent on paving and upgrading the
transportation infrastructure.
Other money will be spent on job training,
small- and medium- business development and housing assistance for discharged
soldiers.
Eligible communities include: Beit Zarzir, Ka’abia-
Tabash-Hajajra, Bir al-Maksur, Basmat Tivon, Bueina Nujeidat, Shabli-Um al-
Ainam, Tiba-Zangariya and the Beduin communities in the Al-Batuf, Zevulon,
Ma’aleh Yosef and Jezreel Valley regional councils.
The plan, which
starts this year and ends in 2015, is an initiative of the Prime Minister’s
Office in cooperation with the Finance Ministry, Beduin local councils and other
government ministries.