Arab Community Welfare Budgets Show Major Spending Gap

A new report by the Adva Center reveals a significant disparity between allocated government funds for welfare services in the Arab community and the actual spending from 2022 to 2024. The "Takamol" five-year plan, stemming from government decision 550, aimed to invest 369 million shekels in its first three years. However, actual expenditure only reached 88.4 million shekels, approximately 24% of the targeted amount.

Sami Abbasi of the Adva Center's Socio-Economic Unit explained that while the Ministry of Welfare and Social Security allocated around 205 million shekels of the targeted sum, the amount that was actually spent was considerably lower. Spending was 23.7 million shekels in 2022, rose to 41.7 million in 2023, and then dropped to 23 million in 2024, despite a 78.1 million shekel budget for that year.

A primary obstacle identified is the lack of specialized buildings for welfare services in Arab towns, which are necessary for programs serving beneficiaries and providing suitable environments for social workers. The development of welfare institutions saw particularly low execution rates, with only 1.018 million shekels spent in 2023 out of a 17.5 million shekel allocation, a mere 5.8%.

An additional barrier is the financial contribution required from local authorities, known as "matching funds." This poses a challenge for many Arab local councils facing financial difficulties. Although the required contribution was reduced to 25% in some cases, and efforts were made to waive it for certain programs, the requirement persists for many projects, especially building construction.

Programs targeting minors, including students with learning difficulties or those disengaged from school, have been particularly affected by the lack of suitable facilities and staff availability. Arab local authorities struggle to fund these needs from their own resources, unlike many Jewish authorities with greater capacity for additional costs.

While the ministry has shown some improvement in recent years, Abbasi stressed it is insufficient. He emphasized the need for robust monitoring and oversight mechanisms to ensure budgets reach their intended recipients and to address implementation obstacles. The ministry is aware of these challenges, making enhanced oversight and problem-solving crucial.