Netanyahu announces that cabinet will pass budget

Speaking at beginning of weekly cabinet meeting PM says "I think this is an important milestone for Israeli economy."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Cabinet meeting 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Cabinet meeting 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that the cabinet will pass the second bi-annual budget this week.
Speaking at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting the prime minister said "I think that this is an important milestone for the Israeli economy and I congratulate Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz who, along with me and all of the other ministers, has advanced the passage of this budget."
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"This is a sign of stability.  It is different.  To a certain degree, we are forging a breakthrough for other countries and economies in that we ensuring stability and the proper functioning of government, and are thereby facilitating both the growth that is vital for the future of our society, security and prosperity," Netanyahu added.
Netanyahu also discussed the firefighters budget and said "we are making very good progress in establishing a national fire service authority."
"Finance Minister Steinitz, Interior Minister Eli Yishai and I agreed last week on a NIS 300 million budgetary supplement, including for equipment, for the Fire and Rescue Service," Netanyahu said.
The prime minister went on to say "we are also making progress in the work of establishing an aerial firefighting force; to this end, we are allocating NIS 50 million. This force will be established quickly, via leasing."
Netanyahu also announced that a state ceremony to honor the memory of those who perished in the Carmel wildfire will be held at Kibbutz Beit Oren on January 5.  "On the first anniversary of the disaster, we will dedicate a memorial at the site.  The memorial will not be on the road itself, there is no room, but it will be adjacent to it, near where the disaster occurred at Kibbutz Beit Oren," Netanyahu explained.
 "Since the wildfire, we have been busy with the rehabilitation of the communities and their residents.  I must point out that the work is going well," he added.
Netanyahu also announced that he has decided to take action in attempt to reach a solution to the continuing prosecutors strike.