Monday, August 8, 2011

Netanyahu promises to provide negotiations team with 'tools' to help 'lighten citizens' burden'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Monday with the newly appointed head of the "Rothschild team", Professor Manuel Trachtenberg, for the first time.

According to the PM's Office, Netanyahu pledged to provide Trachtenberg with any assistance he may need:
"You asked me whether I, as prime minster, would be willing to modify priorities in order to lighten the burden of the citizen. I answered 'yes.' I'm going to provide you with the tools to do so."
Trachtenberg had mentioned that his team was comprised of young members as well, "who can understand the public's state of mind these days."

Meanwhile, almost a month since the tent protest begun, the social protest leaders published a document introducing their vision for a "just Israel" as they see it. In their official position paper – formed by student representatives, tent city organizers and social organization delegates – the protesters called for a "more just, more humane State that cares for its citizens."

The protest leaders demand some of the following reforms:
* Bridging social, economical, national and gender-based gaps and creating a social consistent needed for the State's existence.
* Altering the economic system so as to allow for proper and satisfactory budgeting for the basic needs of the citizens.
* Reducing housing expenses, reaching full and fair employment and obtaining governmental supervision on fundamental products.
* Providing clear preferential treatment to the social and geographical periphery in the form of governmental attentiveness and allocations of resources and infrastructures.
* Promoting and caring for the essential needs of weaker social echelons, in particular of handicapped, elderly and sick populations.
* Investing in the citizen's education, health, personal security issues and more by the State
* Offering real solutions for the vital needs in the fields of housings, transportation, public infrastructure via governmental intervention