Citizen Rights Group Urges Israel to Halt Plan to Divert Arab Community Funds
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel has appealed to the government to stop Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's proposal to divert 964 million shekels from a future plan for the Arab community to security purchases. ACRI argues the move is unconstitutional, administratively problematic, and politically motivated, potentially undermining efforts to address discrimination. The group previously petitioned the Supreme Court over similar budget diversions.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- The Association for Civil Rights in Israel is fighting a proposal to divert 964 million shekels from a future Arab community plan to security needs.
- ACRI argues the diversion is unconstitutional and could derail efforts to address discrimination in the Arab community.
- The proposal comes after previous cuts to the Arab community's five-year plan, according to ACRI.
- ACRI claims the timing suggests political motivations and misuse of public funds for election propaganda.
- Attorney Hagar Shechter stated a transitional government cannot restrict the next government or use funds for propaganda.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) has urgently appealed to the Israeli government and the Attorney General to reject a proposal by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to reallocate 964 million shekels. These funds were earmarked for a future multi-year plan for the Arab community, which has not yet been finalized, and are now intended to expedite security procurements. ACRI argues that the proposal raises serious constitutional and administrative issues, potentially jeopardizing a plan designed to address deep-seated discrimination and gaps within the Arab community before it even begins.
This move follows previous budget cuts by the outgoing government from the current five-year plan for the Arab community. ACRI, along with other organizations, has a pending petition to the Supreme Court challenging a prior decision to divert 496.9 million shekels from the current five-year plan to the police and Shin Bet for crime fighting.
The association contends that introducing this proposal so close to elections violates the transitional government's duty of restraint, as it predetermines budget priorities for 2027-2029 and restricts the incoming government's ability to set its own agenda without sufficient justification. Furthermore, ACRI expressed serious concerns that funding security procurements by diverting funds meant to reduce gaps in the Arab community, especially at this time, suggests political and electoral motivations and the potential misuse of public funds for campaign purposes.
"After the current government undermined the existing five-year plan, it is now seeking to deliver a knockout blow to the future plan as well," stated attorney Hagar Shechter. "A transitional government has no right to tie the hands of the next government, and certainly should not exploit public funds for election propaganda, all at the expense of the Arab community's right to equality, at a time when it continues to suffer from long-standing discrimination."
