The chairpersons of the local councils in the Israeli Gaza periphery communities have demanded this morning that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insert in the national budget an addition of five million U.S. Dollars, equivalent to 18.1 million shekels, that is meant to be allocated to multiple centers that provide assistance to residents who suffer from emotional distress.
The demand comes several months after the local council heads held a meeting with the Israeli leader in Jerusalem over growing frustration in southern Israeli communities rooted in the perceived neglect pertaining, among others, to treatment of trauma-victims that have been subject to years of terrorism that emanates from the neighboring Hamas-controlled enclave.
According to a plan, that was approved by Netanyahu’s outgoing government, some 138 million dollars, which is equal to some 124 million Euros, have been allocated for 2019 and 2020, with the aim of boosting the southern communities resilience in dealing with the repeated attacks emanating from the Palestinian enclave.
TV7 was not able to attain follow-up information regarding the impact of the substantive investment, and the Prime Minister’s office did not immediately respond to TV7’s request for comment.