Finance Minister Smotrich rejects compensating Israelis stranded outside Israel during Iran war
The finance committee opposed the decision and called Netanyahu to read the issue.
The Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, opposes the compensating Israelis who were blocked abroad during the war with Iran in June, the Knesset finance committee said on Sunday.
The decision of the Ministry of Finance will also have an impact on the airlines, which will not receive compensation for the monetary losses suffered during the 12 -day war with Iran, known as the Operation Rising Lion.
The decision to reject the remuneration of the Israelis met with strong opposition from certain members of the Knesset financing committee, who voted against her and demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is re -evaluating the issue.
During the war with Iran, the sky and the airport of Israel were closed, causing between 100,000 and 150,000 Israelis blocked abroad without knowing when they could return.
The Reunion of the Finance Committee brought together a representative of the Ministry of Finance and representatives of Arika, El Al and Israim Airlines.
Smotrich (Religious Zionist Party) was opposed to the remuneration framework, said Daniel Shwartz of the Ministry of Finance at the meeting.
The Minister of Transport Miri Regev (Likud) “has the power to limit compensation to only two days, and it can decide according to its discretionary power”.
Compensation beyond the first two days of war would be hundreds of millions of shekels, said Schwartz.
The president of the finance committee, David Bitan (Likud), criticized Smotrich’s decision and asked Shwartz if it seemed reasonable.
“Do you compensate workers and the whole economy, but not the airlines and citizens who have remained stuck?” He asked.
Bitan said that Smotrich’s decision was scandalous and ultimately, “you [the government] will pay, because responsibility is yours in every sense of the word. »»
The committee would take measures to oppose the decision, he said.
The representatives of airlines described the financial losses caused by war.
Airlines had been ordered to steal empty aircraft and evacuate passengers, and therefore they “must be compensated separately,” said Arika’s lawyer Raz Nizri.
“These are direct damage-a classic case that requires adapting a combination of compensation,” he said.
The CEO of Israil said that dozens of thefts had been canceled during the war and that the company’s planes were to be transferred abroad.
The committee member wrote a proposal to oppose Smotrich’s decision and approved it unanimously.
The expected legal proceedings of Smotrich’s decision “would create a burden on the judicial system,” said the proposal.
