Southern Israeli residents stormed in to a session of the Knesset Finance Committee. The committee was discussing the zero value added tax law authored by Yesha Atid leader Minister Yair Lapid when southern residents burst into the room uninvited. They shouted “The government is shutting the mouths of southern residents”. Slomiansky abandoned his seat and fled the meeting.

Shouts were heard demanding fair compensation following Operation Protective Edge. Residents explained that many small and medium businesses will go under if government assistance is not forthcoming.

The residents insist the state is foot-dragging at their expense and if financial assistance is not received very soon, the consequences will be disastrous for many southern residents.

MKs Yaakov Litzman, Moshe Gafne and Ariel Margalit called on Slomiansky to permit the residents to be heard. “It is the first time they are here since the war. We are speaking about nonsense instead of talking about them. Are you making a mockery of them? It’s a disgrace!” shouted Litzman. Margalit followed, calling on ushers not to shut off their microphones but to permit them to say what they have to say.

Gafne called on the meeting to permit the residents to speak instead of dealing with Lapid law. He explained “they are coming from a war and deserve to be heard”.

The interruption brought the meeting to an abrupt halt. Slomiansky attempted to permit representatives to speak but the unruly nature of what was taken place did not permit such an occurrence. He then left the meeting.

MK Stav Sapir asked Slomiansky why he was running away. Efforts to restore order were unsuccessful. They meeting was moved to a new venue, a nearby room.

Opposition leader MK Yitzchak Herzog was critical of committee’s behavior, pointing out that while Knesset may be at recess, the committee is not and the residents should have been heard.

Slomiansky stated that he agrees that assisting southern communities is essential and must be a priority but he feels this must be accomplished by holding a serious session and hammering out the issues and not be barging in and disrupting a committee session.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)