BICOM

The Trajtenberg committee set up by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to investigate social-economic issues in Israel will deliver its recommendations today. According to sources the committee will propose adding 5-6 billion shekels towards social welfare needs, without breaking the budget framework. The Trajtenberg Committee will also recommend preventing entry barriers into the marketplace, centralisation and monopolistic power, setting fair employment rules for all workers, and preserving their basic rights. 

The committee was established by Netanyahu following the tent protests and rallies calling for social justice, which took place across Israel in the summer. The recommendations have been met with skepticism from the protesters. Daphni Leef, a leader of the social protest movement, responded recently to a leaked copy, stating “it certainly does not address the reasons why hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to protest during the summer.”

Parts of the funding for the panel’s recommendation will need to be met by defence budget cuts, which Netanyahu agreed to do last week. Other recommendations include the building of 300,000 new homes over the next five years and the gradual introduction of free education from the age of three. The recommendations focus on tax policies, cost of living, housing and competition in the economy. The recommendations from the committee will seek the cabinet’s approval and will be voted on after the Jewish holidays towards the end of October.

The committee’s recommendations will be presented to the public in a press conference at 3:00 PM GMT.