Title: Heritage Minister Calls for Closure of Public Broadcasting Corporation, Deems Office Closures for War Efforts Unnecessary
Date: October 25, 2023
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu has voiced his support for closing the Public Broadcasting Corporation, stating that unnecessary government ministries should not be the focus. In response to suggestions that budgets from closed ministries be redirected towards the ongoing war in Israel, Minister Eliyahu argued that the corporation’s funding weakens the national spirit and should be discontinued. He dismissed the calls for office closures as a populist campaign.
Minister Eliyahu emphasized that all ministries are currently mobilized to benefit the citizens of Israel, and budgets are already being allocated for the war efforts. He stressed that the real issue lies in the years of neglect towards strengthening Israel’s heritage, Jewish identity, and self-confidence, which has contributed to existing problems.
Furthermore, Minister Eliyahu revealed that his ministry’s staff has been actively involved in supporting the Gaza Strip during the conflict. Some members of his team are documenting stories of heroism, while others are volunteering in various capacities in the Ministry of National Security and army camps.
As previously reported by News 12, there are multiple unnecessary government offices that could potentially be closed to redirect their budgets towards the needs of evacuees and the reconstruction surrounding Gaza. One of these offices is Minister Eliyahu’s, responsible for nurturing Jewish heritage. The office has an annual budget of tens of millions of shekels, which could greatly assist citizens during this time of war.
If we focus specifically on Minister Eliyahu’s office, the budget allocation for 2023 amounts to 74 million shekels, and for 2024 it is 73 million shekels. The efficiency rating for the office is 39.5.
The closure of the Ministry of Information, which has already taken place after the resignation of Galit Distal, resulted in the transfer of 20 million shekels towards the rehabilitation of the affected area. Other potential ministries for closure include the Ministry for the Development of the Negev and the Galilee, National Resilience, Ministry of Social Equality and the Diaspora, Settlement, and National Missions, and the Ministry for Regional Cooperation.
It remains to be seen how the government will respond to Minister Eliyahu’s comments and whether any office closures will take place to reallocate budgets for the war efforts.