(haipo) - In a debate held in the Knesset, MK Oded Forer harshly criticized the Haifa Municipality's decision to cut the budget of the Authority for the Absorption of Aliyah.
Discussion in the Knesset about cuts made by the Haifa municipality
The Aliyah, Absorption and Diaspora Committee of the Knesset held a discussion last night (Monday 29/7/24) on the subject of reducing the activities of the absorption of Aliyah in the city of Haifa. The discussion was called by the chairman of the committee, MK Oded Forer, this following a request from the city council member, Tatiana John, who claimed that cuts made by the Haifa municipality harm the functioning and activities of the Immigrant Absorption Authority, especially after thousands of immigrants were taken in by Haifa According to John, no sufficient effort was made to prevent this harm.
The council member from the opposition, Tatiana John (Meghabim La Haifa Beitenu faction) and the city council member and chairman of the Haifa Absorption Authority, Kirill Kartnik from the coalition (I Live Here faction) were present at the discussion. MK Forer severely criticized the cuts made in the budget, which he claimed is not justified, especially in light of the fact that the Haifa municipality chose to add budgets to non-profit organizations and other sectors in the city.
Forer also criticized the non-appearance of the CEO of Haifa Municipality or Yona Yahav.
Haifa is a leader in accepting immigrants
MK Porer opened the discussion by saying that he had received a request regarding the authority's decision to summon 14 employees for a hearing and to close several clubs for the elderly and Holocaust survivors. The MK asked the chairman of the Authority for the Absorption of Alia in Haifa to explain the reason for the difficult decisions, which are expected to severely damage the activity the authority.
The city of Haifa is one of the leading cities in absorbing immigrants, Furer explained, as in the last five years alone it has absorbed about 24,000 immigrants, with 2,320 new immigrants being absorbed in the last six months alone.
It should be noted that immigrants continue to be considered new immigrants for 10 years from the date of their absorption. "How is it possible that in an age where the percentage of increase is so high, the municipality chooses to reduce this area, and for what reasons?" asked Forer.
They are trying to put pressure on me
Kartnik claimed that this was a political discussion and that the committee rushed to convene a discussion on the issue, following the appeal of its representative who belongs to the opposition faction, who heads the municipal committee.
Kartnik also claimed that the authority is in a bad situation because for years it was under the responsibility of representatives on behalf of "Israel Beitno".
Kartnik even claimed that the data provided to the committee was incorrect and that it was an attempt to exert political pressure on him. He claimed that layoffs are expected soon among the employees of the Authority for the Absorption of Aliyah in Haifa. Kartnik said that there are horizontal cuts in the Haifa municipality, in order to balance the municipal budget, which is in deficit, and precisely in the Corporation for the Absorption Authority, a cut of only 10% is planned, while in the other corporations 20%-25% were cut.
Damage to the Aliyah Absorption Authority is a collapse of the Zionist institution
Tatiana John claimed at the hearing that at the beginning of the term the authority had a budget surplus of NIS 2.5 million. Another claim was that Kartnick did not fight hard enough to represent the immigrants and prevent cuts that would harm the authority's functioning. John blamed Kartnik for voting in favor of the budget. According to her, "If we're talking about cuts to employees, then right now it's about a third of them being fired. Who will work in the clubs with the people if the employees are fired? Damage to the Aliyah Absorption Authority is the collapse of the Zionist institution."
John ended by claiming that calculations and data provided to her by the Knesset's Ministry of Immigration and Absorption showed that more than 20% of the authority would be cut and not 10%, as Kartnik claims.
"The municipality is expected to stand behind its policy"
Forer concluded that he will hold a follow-up discussion on 7/8/24 and that he is ready and willing to come to Haifa and meet with the representatives of the municipality, in order to discuss the budget issue. Forer further said that the Haifa municipality's response to this discussion is beyond criticism, since in his opinion Kartnik, the chairman, came unprepared for the discussion and other senior officials, such as the mayor and the director general of the municipality, did not come at all. The municipality has the authority to cut - it is a policy, but the municipality is expected to stand behind its policy. We find fault with this cut, since it is a dramatic cut.
Forer also said: "I think the ministry should do something about it and when the municipality prioritizes deficiencies, I ask the minister and the CEO to contact the municipality, because the cut will dramatically damage the activity and functioning of the Authority for the Absorption of Aliyah in Haifa."
City Council member Kirill Kartnik, gave a message to Lai Fa in response:
"This is a completely political discussion, and an attempt to exert political pressure by the "Israel Beitno" party, which takes care of those close to it."
We are only talking about the budget and standards. Have you checked what has even been done in the budgets in recent years?
After all, these are not budgets designed to bring in immigrants!
It's budgets to help absorb the immigrants who came!
Can someone give a detailed list of where the money went and how they were helped in absorbing it?
You have to first check their Judaism, many of them wear a cross or don't consider themselves Jews at all
In complete contrast to the Ethiopian community that received the least and Judaism there is clear
The education system is connected to the municipality and new immigrants from welfare countries are treated disgracefully at school. The teachers who are supposed to help individually are not doing their job. On the contrary: they convey to the student that he is a heavy burden for them and really do not help to be absorbed. According to the school administrators, the municipality does not budget for the aid, so the teachers have no motivation.
It is not clear to me why a municipality needs to budget for the reception of Alia.
It is supposed to give every resident the exact same services and charge the same payments.
And if there is someone (in the government, associations) who think of "helping" them, they will take care of the immigrant directly.
And all the slogans about Zionism, etc. are essentially emotional subversion.
I can testify firsthand that the negative attitude towards immigrants and returning residents from the welfare states is not new and has been going on for decades. I experienced it myself and after decades my children experienced it. They really try to make it difficult in every way and change the country for the returning residents and especially for the children. The school assistants are really jealous and anti. shame.
In Haifa there is only a descent.
The new residents are mainly Arabs from the Galilee and Shobhaim and they don't pay taxes, only receive allowances... along with the disgruntled old men of Haifa.
You forgot the evacuees or refugees from the northern border, many thousands of whom moved to Haifa. And all thanks to our beloved Prime Minister,