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https://sputnikglobe.com/20211217/half-a-year-after-the-establishment-of-a-government-in-israel-tweeps-vent-anger-at-its-policies-1091598776.html
Half a Year After The Establishment of a Government in Israel, Tweeps Vent Anger at Its Policies
Half a Year After The Establishment of a Government in Israel, Tweeps Vent Anger at Its Policies
Sputnik International
The masses are dissatisfied with the high costs of living, the coercion of COVID-19 vaccines and the reliance on Raam
2021-12-17T10:47+0000
2021-12-17T10:47+0000
middle east
israel
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They are also frustrated at the bloated number of ministers and the fact that the coalition is slim, which allows its representatives to do "whatever they want".It's been half a year since Naftali Bennett took the PM's office in Jerusalem and established a coalition, thus ending the decade-long tenure of former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Since then, Israeli media has been trying to paint a picture of stability and quiet. The new coalition was praised for passing the national budget after three years of stalemate, for lowering the rates of the coronavirus pandemic and for thawing the ice with several European nations that had been rather hostile towards Israel.However, quite a different picture is seen on social media platforms, where the coalition of change -- the way it was branded -- gets a rather negative feedback.One tweep called it "the coalition of shame". Another one thinks it is "disgusting" and many want it to fall apart and see Prime Minister Bennett leaving his seat in Jerusalem.[Last tweet says: "Go" alluding to the campaign that protesters held against Netanyahu]So what are the tweeps complaining about? Sputnik gathered four main reasons.Bloated and Dysfunctional Coalition?Before the formation of the current coalition, Yair Lapid, the main challenger of Netanyahu and the chairman of Israel’s second largest party Yesh Atid, promised that his government would bring a change to the nation.He vowed to limit the amount of ministers and their deputies to 18, something that would save millions of dollars to the national budget.Now, however, with 28 ministers and six deputies in a coalition that has 57 members, his previous comments raise eyebrows among the general public, who are accusing the Bennett-Lapid coalition of deceiving the masses."Next week, Meir Yitzhak Halevy will be appointed as a deputy ministers of education. 28 ministers and six deputies in a coalition of 57. This is not a government of change. It is a government of job placements," wrote one Twitter user.According to estimates, Israeli taxpayers fork out more than $2 million dollar a year on the salary and the expenses of a minister. The costs of a deputy stand at $700,000 per year, which means that in total the country is paying some $60.2 million every year that could be redirected to other spheres.However, the bloated number of ministers is far from being the only vice of the current coalition. Tweeps have also complained about their frequent visits abroad instead of focusing on solving acute domestic problems.This budget does not include the ministers' travel expenses. The coalition has also been blamed for its members taking frequent trips abroad instead of solving the pressing issues that bother Israeli society. And its representatives have been accused of doing "whatever they want" knowing that with such a narrow coalition of 57 members and four outside supporters, nobody can be fired because that would spell the end to the current government."The higher the support for Netanyahu, the more the coalition members can do whatever they please. [Abir] Kara doesn't show up for voting. [Omer] Barlev incites against settlers, [Yifat] Shasha Bitton will try to sabotage with the vaccination efforts, etc. No one will be sacked, reprimanded or punished. And later they will tell us that Bennett is managing things exemplary. Absolute lawlessness," complained a tweep.High Costs of LivingThat anger does not stop there, and in the past half a year tweeps have also been complaining about the high costs of living and the reluctance of the government to improve people's lives."The economy is in a difficult situation. Rising prices, rising taxes and people are not buying. Banks are cutting credit to the private market...The big ones become giants. The government is detached and does not understand the economy," wrote one Internet surfer.In May, a state comptroller report revealed that food prices in Israel were 51 percent higher than those in the European Union. A similar situation is also observed in the real estate market. Meanwhile, the government has recently raised taxes on disposable plastic, gas and sugary beverages, stirring the dissatisfaction of the masses.Vaccination CoercionIn July, when numbers of daily coronavirus patients started going up, authorities rolled out a booster shot that has gradually become a must for everyone, who wanted to travel, work or enter public places.Today, with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 raging in Israel and with reports indicating that 17 percent of all cases that contracted the virus have been vaccinated with a booster shot, authorities are now mulling over an option of rolling out yet another shot.What they are also discussing is imposing sanctions and limitations on those, who haven't been vaccinated, and this is something that has already been touted as "dictatorship" and "coercion" by the masses."The government of the criminal green pass. You will be a shame forever. All your actions are nothing more than a psychological fight against the non-vaccinated, a criminal war destined for failure .... You are a bad government, you are the reason why the corrupt Bibi will return and will stay here for many more years..." complained a tweep.Betraying the Jewishness of the State?The Bennett-Lapid coalition comprises of 57 members and is supported by Raam, an Islamic party that provided it with an outside supportBelieved to have links to the Muslim Brotherhood, outlawed by many countries of the region, the party has also been known for the backing it gave to Hamas, one of Israel’s main rivals, and for the northern branch of the Islamic movement that is illegal in the Jewish state.For many tweeps the coalition that relies on what they call as "supporters of terror" has always been problematic but in the recent days that dissatisfaction has risen to yet another level."The coalition that stole votes and that is relying on Raam, a sister movement of Hamas."Some were angered by the release of Raed Salah, the leader of the Islamic movement and the embrace he had received from Raam. Others were infuriated by the comments made by the Minister of Home Security Omer Barlev, who slammed Jewish settlers for their violence against the Palestinians, totally ignoring the deeds of the Palestinians themselves.Yet, despite that frustration, Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Lapid promises the coalition is there to stay."Half a year ago they explained that the government would not be formed. But it did. Then they said it would not complete its first month. But it did. Then they said it would collapse. We are still here. Then they said it would not manage to pass the budget but we managed. This government is here to stay. This is the right government for the people of Israel and the State of Israel. What we did in six months, was not done here in the past six years".
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Half a Year After The Establishment of a Government in Israel, Tweeps Vent Anger at Its Policies

10:47 GMT 17.12.2021
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The masses are dissatisfied with the high costs of living, the coercion of COVID-19 vaccines and the reliance on Raam, an Islamic party believed to have links to the Muslim Brotherhood, which is outlawed in many countries of the region.
They are also frustrated at the bloated number of ministers and the fact that the coalition is slim, which allows its representatives to do "whatever they want".
It's been half a year since Naftali Bennett took the PM's office in Jerusalem and established a coalition, thus ending the decade-long tenure of former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Since then, Israeli media has been trying to paint a picture of stability and quiet. The new coalition was praised for passing the national budget after three years of stalemate, for lowering the rates of the coronavirus pandemic and for thawing the ice with several European nations that had been rather hostile towards Israel.
However, quite a different picture is seen on social media platforms, where the coalition of change -- the way it was branded -- gets a rather negative feedback.
One tweep called it "the coalition of shame". Another one thinks it is "disgusting" and many want it to fall apart and see Prime Minister Bennett leaving his seat in Jerusalem.
[Last tweet says: "Go" alluding to the campaign that protesters held against Netanyahu]
So what are the tweeps complaining about? Sputnik gathered four main reasons.

Bloated and Dysfunctional Coalition?

Before the formation of the current coalition, Yair Lapid, the main challenger of Netanyahu and the chairman of Israel’s second largest party Yesh Atid, promised that his government would bring a change to the nation.
He vowed to limit the amount of ministers and their deputies to 18, something that would save millions of dollars to the national budget.
Now, however, with 28 ministers and six deputies in a coalition that has 57 members, his previous comments raise eyebrows among the general public, who are accusing the Bennett-Lapid coalition of deceiving the masses.
"Next week, Meir Yitzhak Halevy will be appointed as a deputy ministers of education. 28 ministers and six deputies in a coalition of 57. This is not a government of change. It is a government of job placements," wrote one Twitter user.
According to estimates, Israeli taxpayers fork out more than $2 million dollar a year on the salary and the expenses of a minister. The costs of a deputy stand at $700,000 per year, which means that in total the country is paying some $60.2 million every year that could be redirected to other spheres.
However, the bloated number of ministers is far from being the only vice of the current coalition. Tweeps have also complained about their frequent visits abroad instead of focusing on solving acute domestic problems.
This budget does not include the ministers' travel expenses. The coalition has also been blamed for its members taking frequent trips abroad instead of solving the pressing issues that bother Israeli society. And its representatives have been accused of doing "whatever they want" knowing that with such a narrow coalition of 57 members and four outside supporters, nobody can be fired because that would spell the end to the current government.
"The higher the support for Netanyahu, the more the coalition members can do whatever they please. [Abir] Kara doesn't show up for voting. [Omer] Barlev incites against settlers, [Yifat] Shasha Bitton will try to sabotage with the vaccination efforts, etc. No one will be sacked, reprimanded or punished. And later they will tell us that Bennett is managing things exemplary. Absolute lawlessness," complained a tweep.

High Costs of Living

That anger does not stop there, and in the past half a year tweeps have also been complaining about the high costs of living and the reluctance of the government to improve people's lives.
"The economy is in a difficult situation. Rising prices, rising taxes and people are not buying. Banks are cutting credit to the private market...The big ones become giants. The government is detached and does not understand the economy," wrote one Internet surfer.
In May, a state comptroller report revealed that food prices in Israel were 51 percent higher than those in the European Union. A similar situation is also observed in the real estate market. Meanwhile, the government has recently raised taxes on disposable plastic, gas and sugary beverages, stirring the dissatisfaction of the masses.

Vaccination Coercion

In July, when numbers of daily coronavirus patients started going up, authorities rolled out a booster shot that has gradually become a must for everyone, who wanted to travel, work or enter public places.
Today, with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 raging in Israel and with reports indicating that 17 percent of all cases that contracted the virus have been vaccinated with a booster shot, authorities are now mulling over an option of rolling out yet another shot.
What they are also discussing is imposing sanctions and limitations on those, who haven't been vaccinated, and this is something that has already been touted as "dictatorship" and "coercion" by the masses.
"The government of the criminal green pass. You will be a shame forever. All your actions are nothing more than a psychological fight against the non-vaccinated, a criminal war destined for failure .... You are a bad government, you are the reason why the corrupt Bibi will return and will stay here for many more years..." complained a tweep.

Betraying the Jewishness of the State?

The Bennett-Lapid coalition comprises of 57 members and is supported by Raam, an Islamic party that provided it with an outside support
Believed to have links to the Muslim Brotherhood, outlawed by many countries of the region, the party has also been known for the backing it gave to Hamas, one of Israel’s main rivals, and for the northern branch of the Islamic movement that is illegal in the Jewish state.
For many tweeps the coalition that relies on what they call as "supporters of terror" has always been problematic but in the recent days that dissatisfaction has risen to yet another level.
"The coalition that stole votes and that is relying on Raam, a sister movement of Hamas."
Some were angered by the release of Raed Salah, the leader of the Islamic movement and the embrace he had received from Raam. Others were infuriated by the comments made by the Minister of Home Security Omer Barlev, who slammed Jewish settlers for their violence against the Palestinians, totally ignoring the deeds of the Palestinians themselves.
Yet, despite that frustration, Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Lapid promises the coalition is there to stay.
"Half a year ago they explained that the government would not be formed. But it did. Then they said it would not complete its first month. But it did. Then they said it would collapse. We are still here. Then they said it would not manage to pass the budget but we managed. This government is here to stay. This is the right government for the people of Israel and the State of Israel. What we did in six months, was not done here in the past six years".
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