After the establishment of the government: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a first economic discussion this evening (Monday) with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The discussion was attended by Economy Minister Nir Barkat, the head of the National Economic Council Prof. Avi Simhon, and Finance Minister Rt. Sharia Damsky.
Netanyahu attacked the outgoing government regarding the issue of the cost of living and price increases: “The cost of living does not stop rising, including today. When I entered the Prime Minister’s office four days ago, I understood why – because the Lapid government did not take even the most minimal steps to stop this gallop,” he said. He also said that “this is why I am convening a first economic discussion tonight with the Minister of Finance to formulate the initial emergency measures To fight the cost of living for the sake of Israel’s economy and for the sake of Israel’s citizens.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu in the first economic debate he held. Photo: Likud spokespeople
In addition, earlier Netanyahu spoke at the Likud faction meeting. At the beginning of the meeting, he addressed the storm of appointments in the party, after senior officials such as Amsalem and Edelstein were left out of the government: “I know that the question of appointments is weighing on many and it will take a few more days. What needs to come to the faction will be brought to the faction. I ask for your cooperation and patience, we will resolve it as soon as possible Faster”.
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Netanyahu attacked the outgoing government, saying that “I took office and discovered a series of omissions and failures in a whole series of areas.” He added: “The first failure – the carelessness in taking care of the cost of living. They did nothing, nothing, and allowed this situation to deteriorate. They did not take actions that they could have taken in time. This thing is brought before us and it does not absolve us from acting, we are working with all our might.”
Netanyahu is at the beginning of his first government meeting
“There is a lot of work to be done on all the generators of inflation and we intend to deal with them. I am meeting with the Minister of Finance tonight and we will do it together, a supreme national effort against a very large deficit that we inherited. It is always more difficult to enter after they have dug a big hole for you, but we have no choice but to act firmly, informed and effective. This is the first thing we need to do,” he noted.
He described, in his view, the second failure of the outgoing government: “The second failure that is obvious is the international failure. They had a whole year to deal with the Palestinian movement at the UN Assembly. Only in the few days I had after I came in we managed to move several countries in our favor. If I had a year Solomon would probably have had a different outcome.
He also added that “we are subject to an organized and organized attack against all elements of the government and I call on all of you to join the fight against this incitement right now and fight back head on.”