Addressing an annual gathering of CPAs in Israel, MK (Yahadut Hatorah) Rav Moshe Gafne warned “the treasury is collapsing because of Yair Lapid, who doesn’t understand a thing.”

Gafne explained that he was there earlier to bid farewell to two senior officials with whom he dealt in his capacity as chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee. He explained that during his tenure the committee passed the Bank of Israel Law in two weeks under the veil of the threatened resignation of Bank of Israel Governor Prof. Stanley Fischer. He stated that despite pressing issues and a deteriorating situation, Lapid does not act appropriately because he simply doesn’t get it.

He emphasized that despite the growing list of senior members of the ministry’s professional staff, those who remain in their posts as career professionals as opposed to political appointees, Lapid doesn’t get it. “Not only does the finance minister lack experience, he doesn’t even try to learn” stressed Gafne.

Dudi Goldberg, who heads the national association of CPAs explained he and his colleagues have been trying to meet with Lapid for quite some time but their requests are shunned. When he finally reached Lapid for the first time the minister asked “why are you only coming to me now?” to which he explained the minister’s staff has not granted them access. Goldberg stated he and his colleagues wish to discuss matters of illegal income and other issues pertinent to the minister, but he does not seem overly interested in hearing what they have to say.

“I do not know what relationship is maintained between the finance minister and the prime minister, but I can say that when our forum meets to discuss the problem of undeclared income and invite the minister to attend, he is a no show. It appears that one hand hasn’t a clue what the other is doing…”, Goldberg added.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)