Israeli Finance Minister Halts Funding for Arab Settlements

Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's Finance Minister, has halted funding for Arab settlements and educational programs for Palestinians in East Jerusalem, citing increased crime and security concerns as the reasons for this action. Smotrich, a member of the religious-nationalist government affiliated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stated on Monday, August 7, that the funding provided to local Arab city councils was essentially political bribery from the previous government. According to him, this money could ultimately end up in the hands of criminals and terrorists. Smotrich's remarks, as the head of the 'Religious Zionism' party, have previously drawn condemnation from international circles regarding Palestinians. Mansour Abbas, an Israeli lawmaker and head of the Arab party known as the 'United Arab List,' condemned Smotrich for racial discrimination. Abbas emphasized that Arab citizens are entitled to receive that funding, as its purpose was to bridge the gap between Arab and Jewish communities. Former Prime Minister and opposition leader Yair Lapid also criticized Smotrich, stating that he is exploiting Arab citizens because of their ethnicity. Arabs constitute about one-fifth of Israel's population. The special funding for 67 local Arab councils was established in 2022 and was, in fact, an acknowledgment by the Israeli government of years of inadequate financial allocation for Arab communities. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and three other institutions expressed surprise at the Finance Minister's action. Hakeem Jeffries in Israel: The fate of judicial reforms should not affect U.S. military support for Israel. Netanyahu once again called for a 'credible military threat' against the Islamic Republic. Four Syrian soldiers were killed in an Israeli attack in Damascus.