MK Danon pushing financial aid to those affected by freeze

By REBECCA ANNA STOIL
MK Danny Danon (Likud) issued a public call Tuesday for people who have been financially impacted by the West Bank construction moratorium to submit estimates of the losses that they have suffered.
Danon recently submitted a bill to compensate people who have been impacted by the 10-month settlement construction freeze that began in November. The bill, which is slated to be reviewed next week by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, would set up a committee that would give compensation both to private citizens and to business owners who were impacted by the decision to freeze building.
In his efforts to advance the bill, Danon said that he met last week with senior officials in the Prime Minister’s Office and in the Finance Ministry, “who expressed their support for establishing the proposed framework under the condition that it will be possible to assess – prior to the establishment of the committee – the estimated amount of funds that will be issued.”
Following that meeting, Danon issued a call this week for all those who have been affected by the moratorium, including both private citizens and business owners, to submit to his office estimates of the financial damage they have incurred. Danon also drafted a form that citizens can use to submit their claims and which he has posted on his personal Web site.
“We cannot let the failures regarding aid for those evacuated in disengagement to recur,” said Danon.
“The government is not just obliged to enforce the order, but also to deal with the order’s destructive implications for citizens. Time is passing, and every day, many families’ bank accounts absorb the implications of the moratorium. I hope that the compensation framework will be set up quickly and that every family will be able to receive all of the compensation that they deserve.”
Despite that Danon said that his legislation has the support of key ministries, including the Prime Minister’s Office, the bill is not expected to pass the Ministerial Committee for Legislation. In that event, Danon will submit the proposal as a private member’s bill, and is expected to seek the individual support of coalition MKs.