The cabinet on Wednesday, 9 Teves, approved a NIS 40 million grant for councils throughout Yehuda and Shomron. The funding is intended for security and emergency services in those areas.

Not wasting time, the extremist left-wing Peace Now organization released a statement, tying the allocation to corruption investigations against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, insisting the money is being used to buy right-wing support for the troubled Prime Minister, who was the target of weekly motzei Shabbos protests, calling upon him to step down under the veil of numerous police investigations against him.

Mr. Netanyahu explained the funding is necessary to provide security and emergency services throughout Yehuda and Shomron, insisting the cabinet allocation is not in any way connected with his meeting on Tuesday with prominent rabbonim in the dati leumi camp.

Rabbonim were invited to meet with the Prime Minister, who is seeking increased support as police continue probes against him which include allocations of fraud, accepting illegal gifts and other white-collar crimes.

Having been questioned several times by Israel Police’s Serious Crimes Unit, Lahav 433, there is a growing call among his opponents for him to step down from office. Many believe it is this movement that suddenly prompted Mr. Netanyahu to request the rabbis meet with him in his office.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)