PM overturns 20% budget cut to benefits granted to immigrants
Heads of rights groups representing immigrants criticize gov't plan to diminish 'absorption basket' of benefits.
By Haaretz StaffPrime Minister Ehud Olmert has overturned a planned 20 percent budget cut to the funds allotted for benefits granted to new immigrants, Army Radio reported Friday.
The heads of rights groups representing new immigrants to Israel criticized the government's declared intention to limit the absorption basket, a list of benefits granted to new immigrants. The chairman of an Ethiopian immigrants' rights group said that the budget cut represents a blatant disregard for the plight of the poor immigrants.
The head of OLEI (Organizacion Latino Americana en Israel), a rights group representing Latin American immigrants, said that there is no point in encouraging Latin American Jews to immigrate to Israel if the government doesn't have anything to offer to them upon their arrival.
"Let's recall all the Jewish Agency representatives from around the world, let them halt their work, because we can't in good conscience mislead the new immigrants. I can't tell a Latin American citizen 'come to Israel, we will promise a serious [benefit] plan.' I don't want to cheat them," the head of O.L.E.I. told Army Radio.
The treasury is scheduled to submit the budget plan to the prime minister in two weeks.
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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. (Tess Scheflan) |
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more background please. 20% budget cut overturned. what does it correspond to in terms of shekels?? how much money per (jewish) capita is there behind this encouraged immigration?
Whether these immigrants are wealthy or poor, the state needs to increase it's citizenry, and this is an incentive to prospective immigrants. Lets face it, the immigrants benefits are hardly generous, they simply provide a minimal token subsidy for a limited period of time. Either way, more people in Israel (regardless of wealth or class) equals more domestic spending, and more tax revenues. Providing the subsidy is a good economic move which the state recoups financially and by number of citizens. Cutting that budget would be an indication of a retarded decision maker, out of touch with reality, blatantly arrogant yet self righteous. Who could that be?
MB, I understand what you are saying here, but it is nearly impossible to determine who deserves what and how much. Immigrants from wealthy western countries (USA/CAN, S-A, EU) might be keeping their money in the country they came from and might be having properties too. Impossible to separate the poor and rich immigrants.
There is no other country that offers benefits to new immigrants, so why should't Israel be the same. ISRAEL IS NOT A RICH COUNTRY. If this does not suit the intended immigrant THEN STAY PUT WHERE YOU ARE. Don't come to take from this country, but infact give.Immigrants that are POOR should be given the necessary basic help.
It is entirely correct to provide financial and other benefits to new immigrants...WHO NEED SUCH BENEFITS. The allocation of benefits should be based on personal or family needs. From personal observation I have seen benefits going to olim from Western countries, inclding the US, who do not need such benefits and who, frankly, do not deserve them.
THE OLIM COMING IN ARE REAL JEWS. OBSERVANT AND TRADITIONAL. THIS DOES NOT SUIT WELL WITH THE SECULAR LEFTISTS THAT WANT A STATE RUN BY JEWS BUT WHERE NON JEWS FROM RUSSIA VOTE FOR THEM LET THEM GO THE WAY OF ABRAHAM BURG. OUT. LET THE REAL JEWS IN. REAL JEWISH DEMOGRAPHICS.
Kadima and olmert uses demography only as scare tactic to remove settlements. When it comes down to it they make immigration tougher. Counter intuitive if you are trully worried about a Jewish majority!!! New elections!!!
If the PM has to step to overturn an insulting and absurd decision made by the Finance Ministry, within hours of its being announced, surely the Minister responsible should go ...