Arab Communities' Industrial Zones Funding Lags Behind Needs, Report Finds
Translated & summarized from Alarab by baba
A report by the Mossawa center found that 450 million shekels allocated for industrial zones in Arab communities cover only 15% of the estimated 3 billion shekel need over five years. While some funds were spent in 2022, implementation data for 2023-2024 is missing for several projects. Mossawa calls for increased funding and transparency to ensure equitable development.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Industrial zone funding for Arab communities covers only 15% of estimated needs, a report states.
- The allocated budget is 450 million shekels, while the estimated need is 3 billion shekels over five years.
- Mossawa center highlights a 2.55 billion shekel funding gap for industrial zone development.
- Implementation data for 2023 and 2024 is missing for key industrial zone development projects.
- The report calls for increased funding and transparent information on project progress.
A report by the equality center for Arab citizens' rights, Mossawa, indicates that the allocated budget for developing industrial zones in Arab communities covers only 15% of the estimated need. The government allocated 450 million shekels for this purpose under Resolution 550, part of a five-year plan from 2022 to 2026. However, the estimated requirement is approximately 3 billion shekels, leaving a funding gap of about 2.55 billion shekels.
This budget is part of a broader 780 million shekel initiative by the Ministry of Economy and Industry to boost employment and industry in Arab communities. Mossawa emphasizes the need for changes in budget allocation mechanisms to ensure fair investment. The report also examines the implementation of the plan, noting that in 2022, 97.5 million shekels were spent on planning and developing industrial zones, exceeding the planned 95 million shekels. This included marketing 119 dunams of land in areas like Al-Mashhad, Raneh, and Kafr Qasim.
For 2023 and 2024, 95 million shekels were planned annually for industrial zone development, but implementation data for these years is missing. Similarly, information on allocations and actual budget utilization for 2025 was not available to the center at the time of the report, hindering a full assessment of progress.
The report also highlights the industrial zone in Hura, in the Negev, under government Resolution 1279. While 11.5 million shekels were allocated and spent in 2022, planned amounts for 2023 and 2024 lack corresponding implementation data.
Overall, the Ministry of Economy and Industry allocated 633.3 million shekels between 2022 and 2024 for industrial zones and other projects. The ministry reportedly had a high execution rate of 95% in 2022. However, the lack of published implementation data for 2023-2024 prevents a clear understanding of the government's resolutions' actual impact.
Mossawa calls for increased funding for additional industrial zones and for transparent information to track project progress. The center also urges equitable investment in the core budget, ensuring that the development needs of Arab communities are not confined to the limited scope of the current five-year plan.
