Israeli Parties Outline Plans to Combat Cost of Living Crisis
Translated & summarized from Globes by baba
Several Israeli political parties have outlined their strategies to combat the rising cost of living, focusing on diverse economic measures. Parties like Be Together and "Yashar!" propose dismantling monopolies and increasing housing supply, while Israel Beiteinu and the Democrats focus on import reforms and reducing household expenses. The Religious Zionism party suggests free early childhood education and land authority reforms, and Otzma Yehudit advocates for VAT reduction and settlement incentives. The Joint List calls for minimum wage increases and rent regulation.
The story in 7 lines · by baba
- Be Together proposes integrating the Haredi community and dismantling monopolies to lower costs.
- Yoaz Hendel's party suggests lowering import tariffs and taxes to reduce prices.
- Avigdor Lieberman's party focuses on removing import barriers and promoting long-term rentals.
- Bezalel Smotrich's party plans housing reforms and free education from birth.
- Gadi Eisenkot's party aims to increase housing supply and open the food market to imports.
- Yair Golan's party seeks to break up food market monopolies and improve social services.
- Itamar Ben-Gvir's party advocates for VAT reduction and settlement incentives.
The Israeli financial newspaper Globes surveyed political parties on their practical approaches to reducing the high cost of living, covering areas like housing, transportation, and market regulation. Several parties, including Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism, and Ra'am, did not respond to the inquiry.
Be Together proposes integrating the Haredi community into education and employment, standardizing core curriculum studies, and abolishing the 'Avrech' (full-time Torah scholar) stipend. They also advocate for dismantling monopolies in production, import, distribution, and retail, promoting structural changes, transparency, and removing regulatory barriers to competition.
The "Reservists and the Economy" party, led by Yoaz Hendel, suggests opening the market to imports by lowering tariffs and eliminating excessive Israeli standards, while preventing monopolies from acting as importers and restricting exclusive importers from blocking parallel imports. They also propose tax reductions, including income tax, corporate tax, VAT, and excess tax, alongside abolishing the VAT exemption for personal imports.
Israel Beiteinu, chaired by Avigdor Lieberman, focuses on removing import barriers and regulatory hurdles, supporting Israeli production, and encouraging long-term rental housing projects that can convert to down payments for tenants.
Religious Zionism, led by Bezalel Smotrich, plans a reform of the Israel Land Authority to expedite housing unit marketing and reduce housing prices, alongside implementing free education from birth to age three to lower child-rearing costs and boost workforce participation.
"Yashar!" (Straight!), chaired by Gadi Eisenkot, aims to increase housing supply through binding timelines, digital licensing, incentives, and penalties for contractors, while also opening the food market to imports by adopting European standards and streamlining import processes.
The Democrats, led by Yair Golan, propose breaking up monopolies in the food basket, requiring data disclosure from suppliers and chains, and separating holdings and distribution. They also plan to reduce household expenses on essential services by improving public health, education, and public transportation.
Otzma Yehudit, chaired by Itamar Ben-Gvir, advocates for lowering VAT, particularly on essential goods, adopting European standards for imported products to foster competition, and providing incentives for construction and residency in peripheral areas and settlements in Judea and Samaria.
Am Israel, led by Ofer Winter, supports completing import reforms by adopting European and American standards, reducing tariffs on food and consumer goods, and shortening port and customs procedures. They also propose a construction and planning reform to expedite permit approvals and release state land to lower housing costs.
The Joint List, chaired by Yosef Jabareen, calls for dismantling monopolies, price controls, and supporting small and medium-sized businesses. They also advocate for raising the minimum wage to 70% of the average wage and re-regulating rent prices.
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