Last update - 00:00 02/01/2007
MK Sneh: PM lagging on vow to reinforce schools near Gaza
By Zvi Zrahiya, Haaretz Correspondent
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has yet to follow through with his promise to put NIS 35.8 million toward reinforcing school classrooms in communities surrounding the Gaza Strip, Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh said on Tuesday.
Olmert said in November that the funds would be transferred to protect schools in the Gaza envelope from Qassam rocket fire.
Sneh told the State Comptroller Committee also said that of the NIS 980 million demanded by the Defense Ministry for classroom reinforcement, only NIS 210 had been approved.
The director general of the Prime Minister's Office, Ra'anan Dinor, later told the committee that the issue is not the source of the funds, but on how to put them to use. He said in some cases the cost of reinforcing classrooms was double that of constructing new buildings.
When transferred, Dinor said, the funds would come from three government ministries. The treasury would transfer NIS 15 million, the Education Ministry would give NIS 10 million and the Defense Ministry would also will allocate NIS 10 million.
Committee chairman Zevulun Orlev (National Religious Party ? NRP) said "Israeli citizens residing in the Gaza envelope still do not have the requisite protection for their homes. In the public institutions and educational institutions it looks like the system has become apathetic or tired out."