Meager compensation for Israelis affected by Iranian strikes angers them against the Finance Minister
Israelis have been gripped by a wave of anger and resentment after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced what he described as “humiliating” compensation for citizens whose homes were damaged by recent Iranian missile strikes.
Smotrich announced that the government would grant each affected person only 500 shekels ($142), a figure many considered insufficient to reflect the extent of the damage to homes and infrastructure.
Reports also indicated that this amount will later be deducted from property taxes, while the issue of compensation for affected companies hasn’t yet been resolved.
The Israeli government is still studying a dedicated plan for this purpose, which is expected to be presented at a later date, commensurate with the actual extent of losses.
In this context, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that the ministerial committee for home front preparedness—the body responsible for dealing with emergencies—hasn’t held a single meeting since the outbreak of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023.
A session was scheduled to be held last September, but was canceled at the last minute due to disagreements between ministries.
Despite the mounting wave of anger among those affected, no official comment has been issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, amid criticism that the government is showing little interest in the plight of citizens left homeless after their homes were destroyed.
It’s worth noting that these decisions come amid a worsening budget deficit, resulting from a series of military conflicts that have burdened the Israeli economy.
