Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., December 29, 2008 Tevet 2, 5769 | | Israel Time: 11:20 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File

Cost of calling up 6,700 reservists for Gaza op is NIS 3 million a day By Moti Bassok, Zvi Zrahiya and Ora Coren Tags: gaza, israel, hamas  "The cost of calling up 6,700 reservists approved Sunday by the cabinet is over NIS 3 million a day," a senior official in the Finance Ministry said. "The IDF will need to cover any operations of up to a week from its own sources. The funding for an operation lasting longer than a week will be provided based on a cabinet decision." In a meeting Sunday on Operation Cast Lead, treasury officials held their first, preliminary talks with their counterparts from the Defense Ministry over the budgetary impact of the fighting in Gaza and the rocket attacks in the south. Advertisement The treasury's frontline troops in this war are its appraisers and officials who handle compensation for citizens whose property has been damaged by Qassams and other rockets. The 30-strong teams have been ready since last week. The Tax Authority has set up its own center in Sderot to deal with compensation issues, and the Defense Ministry notifies it of all damage. In the past three years, residents of the region near Gaza have been compensated to the tune of NIS 143 million for Qassam damage: NIS 73 million for direct damage and NIS 70 million for indirect losses. Indirect losses include compensation for lost revenues or profits. The state has taken a number of steps to ease the burden for people in the region, including for government-backed mortgages. In addition, a number of tax breaks for the region will be extended to the end of 2009, including a 25 percent tax credit for salaried workers on a salary of up to NIS 205,080 a year. The law granting such benefits, the so-called Sderot Law, was set to expire on January 1, but the cabinet is urgently trying to get the Knesset to extend it. Half of area factories still working More than half the factories in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip operated Sunday, despite instructions from the Home Front Command to close down some 80 plants within 4.5 kilometers from the Gaza border. About 15 percent of the workers in those factories did not show up for work, though some were sent to work in other parts of the country instead. Factory owners said that since the Home Front Command's instructions were not binding orders but only recommendations, they decided to open the factories, mostly to meet export commitments. A government source explained the difference between instructions and orders in such a case - it's money. If the state were to officially order the plants to close, it would have to compensate both the owners and workers for losses and guarantee salaries. So the state chose the nonbinding formulation. The Manufacturers Association estimates the cost of shutting down the 80 factories at about NIS 4 million a day. Related articles: Hamas: Time for a third Intifada 3 senior Hamas officers among 230 killed during IAF strikes in Gaza Olmert: Our desire for quiet was met with terror One Israeli killed, 4 hurt as Palestinian rockets hit Negev home ANALYSIS / IAF strike on Gaza is Israel's version of 'shock and awe' IN PICTURES / Gaza under attack Bradley Burston / The worst anti-Israel charges you'll hear in wartime U.S. demands Hamas end terrorist acts, urges Israel to avoid civilian casualties Israeli Arabs react with violence to IDF operations in Gaza Israel to mount emergency international PR effort in wake of Gaza campaign ANALYSIS / With Gaza raid, Barak is back in the political ring Bookmark to del.icio.us   Bombing protest A suicide bomber blows himself up amid an anti-Israel protest in Iraq. Underground medicine Ashkelon's hospital moves essential departments into an underground bomb shelter.   1.   Saudi response 23:50  |  Flemming Schertiger 28/12/08   2.   The cost 10:51  |  alan 29/12/08

Read & React Israeli killed as Palestinian rocket hits Ashkelon Responses: 18 Bradley Burston: Who speaks for Gazans, when they need it most? Responses: 6 Segev: Trying to 'teach Hamas a lesson' is wrong Responses: 49 Amira Hass: 'Gaza strike is against all Palestinians' Responses: 40 Zvi Bar'el: Key Arab states hope for weakened Hamas Responses: 14 Akiva Eldar: The way out of Gaza Responses: 2 More Headlines 11:15 Israeli killed as barrage of Palestinian rockets pound west Negev 10:22 Israel destroys Islamic University in new wave of strikes on Gaza 09:26 Four Israelis wounded by Palestinians in stabbing attacks near Modi'in 08:19 In response to Gaza raids, Hamas threatens to assassinate Livni, Barak 08:51 Report: Captive IDF soldier Shalit wounded in Gaza air strikes 10:35 Gaza War Diary II - Who speaks for the Gazans? 10:32 Seven Israeli Arabs arrested for hurling stones in protest of Gaza op 07:41 Why hasn't Hamas responded to Gaza strikes with greater force? 05:31 Trying to 'teach Hamas a lesson' is fundamentally wrong 01:14 ANALYSIS / Key Arab states hope for weakened Hamas 01:49 Amira Hass / 'Gaza strike is not against Hamas, it's against all Palestinians' 23:18 Hezbollah: Israel may take this opportunity to attack Lebanon 06:09 Joint Gaza operation hasn't softened Olmert-Barak personal differences 00:10 Cost of calling up 6,700 reservists for Gaza op is NIS 3 million a day 08:21 Court decision eases Netanyahu's fear of far-right Likud faction 05:26 Foreign Ministry readies 'diplomatic exit plan' from Gaza Previous Editions Select Day 28 dec 26 dec 25 dec 24 dec 23 dec 22 dec 21 dec 19 dec 18 dec 17 dec 16 dec 15 dec

Special Offers Advertisement Summer in Israel Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009 SURF RAMBAM Keep current about new-wave medical care, education and research. Summer Camp in Israel The best place for your children this summer Academic Studies in Israel All the Q & A at the IDC HERZLIYA Open House, January 9,2009 Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Car rental in Israel Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates. Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved