MK (The Movement) Elazar Stern, a member of the coalition, succeeded in enlisting the support of opposition members against Housing Minister Uri Ariel. As a result of Stern’s efforts, the Knesset Finance Committee did not allocate 610 million shekels to the Housing Ministry as expected.

Stern told committee members that he opposes handing over hundreds of millions to the ministry because the minister is not acting in a transparent fashion and his policy decisions are compromising diplomatic negotiations between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority). Stern was referring to construction tenders recently announced by the ministry in areas that are objectionable to the international community.

Committee Chairman MK (Bayit Yehudi) Nissim Slomiansky realized the Stern succeeded in gaining the support of opposition MKs and withdrew the matter from the agenda. As a result, the money cannot be transferred to the ministry.

Officials in Ariel’s office insist the budget is in line with and enjoys the approval of the treasury and the Housing Ministry is conducting itself in a totally transparent fashion.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)