Bezalel Smotrich criticizes Gadi Eisenkot's plan for the rehabilitation of the North

Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich uploaded a video to his Instagram page in which he responds to the 15 billion shekel plan for the rehabilitation of the North presented by Gadi Eisenkot. In the video, the minister is seen making coffee when the cameraman approaches him and brings up Eisenkot's plan.

Smotrich chose to respond sharply:

"Gadi Eisenkot apparently thinks that the residents of the North are idiots. I have no other way to explain the fact that he takes Shaul Meridor, who in his role as Budget Commissioner in 2016 was the one who 'stuck' the previous plan for the North, and sends him to spread promises about 15 billion shekels out of thin air."

According to the Minister of Finance, the amount Eisenkot is talking about has already been budgeted by the government as part of the efforts to rehabilitate the North. Smotrich claimed that the budget was approved about two years ago and that billions of shekels have already been transferred in practice as part of the process, alongside a series of government decisions intended to assist the residents of the North.

Later in his remarks, Smotrich addressed the issue of fortifying settlements in the North. According to him, beyond the budgets allocated for rehabilitation, the government has budgeted an additional 6 billion shekels for the fortification of the North over the next five years.

Smotrich ended the video with a direct message to his opponents:

"There are those who talk, and there are those who do, and I suggest to Eisenkot and the other candidates not to underestimate the intelligence of either the public or the residents of the North."

The video comes against the backdrop of the political debate surrounding the scope of investment required for the rehabilitation of the North, with Smotrich seeking to present the government's activity and the budgets already approved, while Eisenkot presents his own plan for dealing with the region's needs.