Cabinet Delays 600 Million Shekel Arab-Plan Diversion to Police and Shin Bet

Israel's cabinet was set to vote Sunday on diverting nearly 600 million shekels from the government's five-year plan for the Arab sector to the Israel Police and Shin Bet, but Ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and May Golan postponed the decision to Tuesday. The reallocation would take funds from Government Decision 550, passed under the previous coalition, and route them toward organized-crime enforcement in Arab-Israeli towns. Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs disclosed the outline earlier this month, with the Shin Bet share exceeding half a billion shekels. Arab-Israeli program directors, including former Economic Development Authority head Hassan Tuafra and Beatzmi director Liat Barush, warned the cuts would shutter employment tracks. Prior cuts under Golan already trimmed the plan by 15 percent, an additional 70 million shekels in transfers and 220 million in November.