Schlaglicht Israel Nr. 18/11 Aktuelles aus israelischen Tageszeitungen 26. September – 10. Oktober 2011 1. Der Trajtenberg-Bericht Am 9. Oktober nahm die Regierung die Empfehlun­gen des"Trajtenberg-Berichts" an, den Premiermi­nister Benjamin Netanyahu als Reaktion auf die Sozialproteste im Sommer in Auftrag gegeben hatte. Der Bericht des Wirtschaftswissenschaftlers sieht unter anderem steuerfreie Importe, Preissenkungen für Gas und Wasser, Mietzuschüsse für Bedürftige, gebührenfreie Bildung für Kinder ab 3 Jahren, eine Reichensteuer sowie Maßnahmen gegen Monopole vor. Eine Woche zuvor hatte Netanyahu die Ab­stimmung in seinem Kabinett jedoch verschoben, da sich abzeichnete, dass nicht genügend Minister dafür stimmen würden. Nun konnte der Bericht ver­abschiedet werden, nachdem Netanyahu dem Koali­tionspartner Yisrael Beitenu eine Reihe von Zuge­ständnissen gemacht hatte. Acht Regierungsmit­glieder stimmten gegen die Umsetzung der Empfeh­lungen. Während sich die Minister von Atzmaut und Likud gegen die geplanten Streichungen im Rüs­tungsbudget aussprachen, monierten die Shas­Minister, dass die Empfehlungen die schwächsten Segmente der Bevölkerung nicht genug berücksich­tigten. Trajtenberg and fiscal responsibility "Histadrut Labor Federation Chairman Ofer Eini,[…] called on the government to bankroll greater welfare benefits by adding at least NIS 20 billion annually to government expenditures. Thankfully, Trajtenberg Committee members have ignored irresponsible figures[…] on the economic Left who have failed to internalize the lessons of the Israeli economy’s short history.[…] Trajtenberg and his fellows also recall how in the mid-1990s, an abandonment of fiscal discipline[…] led to doubledigit inflation and economic instability. […] Countries that pursued a less responsible fiscal policy, such as Greece[…], are now endangering the stability[…] of the entire European Union.[…] Activists on the economic Left are correct when they declare that the Trajtenberg Committee’s recom­mendations are not revolutionary – that is precisely what makes them so laudable." JPO 27.09.11 Editorial Netanyahu's test "The Trajtenberg Committee[…] managed to achieve the impossible. It kept its promises and issued a lengthy and impressive report that deals with many issues, within a mere 50 business days. […] Despite heavy pressure[…], the budget was not breached and the deficit was not increased.[…] The committee also succeeded in convincing the prime minister of the need to slash the defense budget in order to have money to transfer to educa­tion and employment.[…] Changes will also be made in import bans[…] in order to facilitate compe­tition. It is clear therefore that the committee's recommen­dations will encounter strong objections from nu­merous directions.[…] So everything depends on the prime minister. Benjamin Netanyahu must with­stand all the pressures and get the Trajtenberg recommendations passed[…]. This will be his test." HAA 27.09.11 Editorial Protecting Trajtenberg "The quicker the Trajtenberg recommendations can be passed in the cabinet, the better. Unfortunately, narrow political interests and pointless wrangling forced Netanyahu to delay the cabinet vote, further pushing off much-needed economic reforms. Apparently[…] Shas leader Eli Yishai attempted to turn the cabinet vote into an opportunity to present his party as the champion of the poor.[…] By reject­ing the Trajtenberg recommendations, Yishai no doubt sensed he would be appealing to the tens of thousands of disgruntled Israelis who are unders­tandably fed up with[…] the widening gap between the rich and the poor[…]. But delaying the passage 1