Yesh Atid leader MK Yair Lapid told an audience this week that the money required to permit IDF troops to remain in position and protect Gaza border communities were given to some “isolated hilltop in Beit El instead”.

Lapid explained “There were two decisions today. One was to pull out most of the IDF troops currently protecting southern Israeli communities along the Gaza border. They explain there is not enough funding to keep them in position but on the same day, a second announcement was made; the allocation of funds to an “isolated hilltop in Beit El”.

Lapid told the Yesh Atid conference in Tel Aviv University that back in October he prevented the transfer of 300 million NIS for building roads and public buildings in the Shomron. “That is money that is given directly to people who vote for them in the primaries”, telling his audience the allocation is nothing more than election bribery and corruption. “I refused to cooperate and that is why I left the government” Lapid stated.

He lamented the fact that the transition government allocated the money now, signaling clearly this is just to drum up support for those parties in the elections.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)