Environmental Budget for Arab Society Underfunded, Failing to Address Gaps
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
An investigation reveals that only 17% of a 550 million shekel environmental budget for Israel's Arab community has been spent since its 2021 allocation. The program, intended to reduce environmental disparities, has suffered from underfunding and delayed transfers, particularly from the Ministry of Finance. Environmental groups criticize the program's failure, citing dire conditions in Arab towns and a lack of state oversight. The Ministry of Finance claims funds were disbursed as per the decision, dependent on project progress.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Only 17% of a 550 million shekel environmental budget for Arab communities has been spent.
- A 2021 government decision aimed to invest 30 billion shekels over five years to reduce Arab community disparities.
- The Ministry of Finance transferred only about a third of its committed funds for the environmental program.
- Environmental groups state the program has failed to reduce environmental gaps and reflects state neglect.
- Public oversight has lapsed, with the last annual report from 2022 and a monitoring committee frozen.
- Arab towns face severe environmental issues including poor waste management and lack of green spaces.
Only 17% of the environmental budget allocated for the Arab community in Israel has been disbursed, despite being officially recorded, according to a Calcalist investigation. A government decision from October 2021 aimed to reduce economic disparities in the Arab community by investing 30 billion shekels over five years in development projects, including environmental initiatives. The Ministry of Environmental Protection was designated 550 million shekels for this purpose, intended for projects in Arab towns. However, recent data reveals that the Ministry of Finance has only transferred about a third of its committed funds, and the Ministry of Environmental Protection, under Minister Idit Silman, has also not fully utilized its allocated funds from the Cleaning Fund. Arab communities in Israel face significant environmental challenges, including a lack of green spaces, inadequate waste and sewage infrastructure, insufficient shading, and a severe shortage of environmental professionals in local authorities. A report by Adam Teva V'Din, Citizens for the Environment, and the Mossawa Center highlights serious shortcomings in the program's implementation. The environmental budget, comprised of 300 million shekels from the Cleaning Fund and 250 million from the Ministry of Finance, has seen only 93.7 million shekels paid out as of February 2026, representing 17% of the original budget. The Ministry of Finance's contribution has been particularly weak, with irregular and delayed transfers, often close to the end of the budget year, leading to funds being returned to the treasury. "This is a cut through the back door," the report states. While the Cleaning Fund's portion appears better on paper, the actual implementation and utilization of funds remain unclear. The program has failed to provide sufficient budget for local authorities to manage routine household waste collection, a critical issue in most Arab towns. "The environmental program has failed and completely missed its purpose, reducing environmental gaps between Arab and Jewish society," said Amal Zeid, Arab Society Coordinator at Adam Teva V'Din. "The environmental situation in Arab towns is dire and reflects the state's disregard and contempt for the severe distress of the Arab population." The report also notes a lack of public oversight, with the annual report only published for 2022 and the monitoring committee frozen since early 2024. The Ministry of Finance stated that all allocated budgets were disbursed according to the decision, subject to their progress rate.