Israel Cabinet Congratulates President Shimon Peres

By Israel News Agency Staff

Jerusalem ----July 16 ..... The following was communicated by the Israel Cabinet Secretariat and the Israel Government Press Office to the Israel News Agency.

Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that the Israel Government was committed to continue seeing to the security of Israel in every sense of the word vis-avis budgetary issues and added that the Government was also committed
to championing social issues. He said that the government needs to find the proper balance between these two important goals in accordance with the economic situation.

Israel Prime Minister Olmert commented on the inauguration of Shimon Peres as Israel’s Ninth President http://tinyurl.com/yunpvc and paid tribute to President Peres.

Olmert said: “This is a great day for the State of Israel. This is an important day in our public life. Today, one of the most prominent people in the history of the state of Israel will take office as President. For the past 60 years, he has been involved in almost every decisive issue that the State of Israel has had to deal with. No one is more accepted than him throughout the world as a representative of the State of Israel. It might be said of him that he is one of the most prominent people in the entire world. He is regarded in a way that reflects on the entire State of Israel. It is an honor for the State of Israel that Shimon Peres is its President. Today, the eyes of the whole world are on Jerusalem, on the ceremony in which Shimon Peres will be inaugurated as President of Israel. The entire Government will accompany him with great support, great admiration and great pride.”

Israel Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Shalom Simhon conveyed to
the Government the appreciation of farmers from Metulla and the northern communities for the way in
which the government has dealt with them since the end of the Second Lebanon War.

Israel Finance Minister Ronnie Bar-On, Finance Ministry Director-General Yarom Ariav, Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer and Prime Minister Olmert’s Economic Adviser briefed ministers on the state of the economy
and on the macro-economic forecasts ahead of the discussions on the 2008 state budget. The Government will continue its discussions of budgetary issues ahead of the approval of the 2008 state budget by late July-early August.

The Government decided to establish - within the Construction and Housing Ministry - the Bedouin Negev Settlement Authority.

In continuation of its previous relevant decisions, the Israel Cabinet established an interministerial committee, chaired by Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Director-General Ra’anan Dinur, to define the status of existing individual farms in the Negev and the Galilee and to recommend procedures for establishing additional individual farms. The committee will
submit its recommendations to the Cabinet within 60 days.

At the suggestion of Prime Minister Olmert, the Cabinet appointed a committee of ministry directors-general - to be chaired by PMO Dir.-Gen. Dinur and composed of his colleagues from the Israel Finance and Industry, Trade
and Employment ministries - to inquire into the issue of price-controlled bread and to submit its recommendations within one week to Industry, Trade and Employment Minister Eli Yishai and Finance Minister Bar-On.

The Israel Cabinet discussed the project to promote exports by encouraging employment in national priority areas. The Cabinet amended a previous decision on the issue and transferred NIS 20 million from one project to another.

The Cabinet discussed assisting the provision of religious services in Sderot and the Sdot Hanegev Regional Council.

The Cabinet approved various amendments to the Israel National Insurance Law.

The Cabinet approved draft legislation regarding the protection of the public against sex offenders.

The Israel Cabinet appointed three members to Airports Authority.

The Cabinet appointed Israel Minister Rafi Eitan to chair the Ministerial Committee regarding the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem.

The Cabinet decided that Minister Ruhama Avraham would join the Ministerial Council on Legislation and Law Enforcement.