5/7/2015 Haifa. The Mossawa Center in cooperation with the The National Committee for the Heads of Arab Local Authorities and Arab Knesset members, created a special team to advocate for fair state budget allocation to the Arab community.  The team- supported by the Economic and Advocacy departments of the Mossawa Center, includes 9 heads of Arab local councils as well as Arab Knesset members who deal with economic development and Arab local councils. The team has already convened 3 times and has initiated a work plan to release currently with held funds for Arab communities in an amount that reaches over 664 million NIS in the beginning of this year. Further more they will call for the allocation of 5.5 billion NIS for the development of the Arab population from the 2015-2016 state budget.

As a result of the team�s efforts, a conference was organized in the Knesset regarding the budgetary needs of the Arab minority from the state budget. The conference was organized in collaboration with MKs Dr. Ahmad Tibi and Dr. Basel Ghattas from the Knesset Finance Committee. It was attended by both Arab and Jewish members of the Knesset, as well as officials from the Ministry of Finance. The conference concluded that follow up on the matter with the Ministry of Finance and Minister Gila Gamliel was necessary. Arab MKs Dr. Ahmad Tibi and Dr. Yousef Jabareen submitted inquiries to the Ministry of Finance on its failure to allocate 664 million NIS to the Arab minority.

The Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Finance attempted to mislead Knesset members in stating that the money was already allocated. The Mossawa Center, The National Committee for the Heads of Arab Local Authorities, and Arab members of the Knesset contacted the general accountant at the Ministry of Finance and asked to transfer the designated funds from the Exceptions Committee and to the Finance Committee. 

In the coming days, the team will speak with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, Minister of Transportation, Minister of Economics, Minister of Social Affairs, Minister of Culture and Sport, the Planning Administration, and Israel Lands Authority, and request meetings with them to discuss a fair budget allocation to Arab local councils.