Netanyahu Government Cuts Funding for Levi Eshkol Heritage Center, Threatening Closure
The Levi Eshkol Heritage Center, dedicated to Israel's third prime minister, faces potential closure due to severe funding cuts under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration. The center, operated by the "Yad Levi Eshkol" association in the historic Prime Minister's residence in Jerusalem, saw its government support slashed from 1.65 million shekels in 2022 to just 244,000 shekels, an 85% reduction. The center's management argues this funding is insufficient to maintain operations, including building upkeep, exhibitions, archives, and staff salaries.
Yochai Shochat, Levi Eshkol's grandson and a board member of the association, alongside chairman Avi Widerman, criticized the cuts as more than technical adjustments, framing them as a broader question about which legacies the state chooses to preserve. They warned that the government is effectively shutting down the official memorial without public discussion or accountability, likening their situation to "beggars" dependent on the Prime Minister's Office goodwill.
Shochat expressed frustration over the late and partial budget payments, highlighting a stark disparity in support between different former prime ministers and presidents. The Prime Minister's Office responded that no decision to close the center has been made and that the association is an independent entity receiving support based on uniform criteria applied to all eligible organizations. The office explained that the funding reduction results from an increased number of organizations applying for support, not a targeted cut.
However, the association pointed out that many new recipients of heritage funding are right-wing groups affiliated with Likud, such as the National Youth - Beitar and the Jabotinsky Institute, suggesting a political redistribution of resources. The government is also promoting the creation of a national corporation to regulate heritage commemoration activities. The dispute raises concerns about how Israel's leadership legacies are officially remembered and funded.
