Did the BBC’s Jerusalem bureau miss this Israel story?

On December 30th the Israeli government unanimously approved a plan to invest 15 billion shekels ($3.8 billion) in the Arab sector over the next five years.

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Daburiyya, Galilee

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Social Equality Minister Gila Gamliel formulated the plan seeking to change governmental allocation mechanisms in an effort to narrow gaps and aid in the quick economical development of Arab society.

NIS 1.2 billion will be allocated to promoting construction in Arab municipalities, while NIS 1.4 billion will be allocated to bolstering local authorities in an effort to develop infrastructure. […]

Approval of the plan heralds a big change in transportation, including increasing subsidies for public transportation in Arab municipalities, completing the infrastructure for public transportation and making the information accessible to the Arab public by translating it to Arabic.

To that end, 40 percent of the State of Israel’s public transportation budget will be used in the Arab sector, as well as 40 percent of the budget allocated to transportation infrastructure in municipalities.

The plan includes extensive and in-depth investment in education in the Arab sector, focusing on training educators, educational achievements, and informal education – in both basic and higher education.

In the field of employment and economic development, 32.5 percent will be allocated in 2016 to the development of industrial areas in Arab municipalities. In addition, 17.5 percent of the Small and Medium Businesses Agency’s budget will be allocated to businesses in the Arab sector.”

Two weeks on, BBC audiences have still heard nothing about this story or an additional one about the planning approval for an entire new town in the Lower Galilee for members of the Druze community. Could it be that the BBC’s Jerusalem bureau missed those stories – or do they simply not fit into the popular ‘right-wing Israeli government’ narrative? 

 

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