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FOLLOWING JEWISH AGENCY ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION: JEWISH AGENCY AND GOVERNMENT TO DEVELOP GALILEE TOGETHER FOLLOWING JOINT WORKING TOUR OF WESTERN GALILEE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE SIMCHON ASKS JEWISH AGENCY FOR STRONG COMMITMENT TO ENCOURAGE SETTLEMENT IN GALILEE AND NEGEV During a special working tour of the Western Galilee on Friday, July 6, current ways of developing the Galilee were discussed. Participating in the tour were: Minister of Agriculture representing the government, Shalom Simchon; Jewish Agency leaders from Israel and abroad; Jewish Agency Treasurer Chaim Chesler, Director General Aharon Abramowtiz, and Robert Goldberg, Chairman of the Property Committee from Cleveland; Natan Tal and Gavri Bargil - leaders of the kibbutz movement; leaders of the Mateh Asher and Maaleh Yosef Regional Councils - Yehudah Shavit and Avi Karampa, and representatives of kibbutzim and moshavim in the area. The Jewish Agency Assembly, which met last week in Jerusalem, decided to take significant action to expand settlement in the Galilee and the Negev, according to a plan to be agreed upon with the government. The Jewish Agency decided to assist in areas that will attract young people, young families, new immigrants and residents from the center of the country, by enhancing educational projects - particularly in higher education, by creating new employment opportunities and by fostering a new generation of local leadership. Ways of implementing these ideas were discussed during the tour. A coordination committee between Government and the Jewish Agency will discuss the implementation of the joint program at its next meeting. The Minister of Agriculture asked senior Jewish Agency officials to help solve two painful issues that kibbutz and moshav members are facing - past debts accumulated by investments that did not pan-out, and a revision of the "tri-partite contract" between the government, the Jewish Agency and local residents. Representatives of the communities in Maaleh Yosef and Mateh Asher presented their severe financial problems alongside the difficult security situation. "The area offers quality of life, which could be attractive if economic conditions improved", said local leaders. At the end of the visit, Jewish Agency Treasurer, Chaim Chesler reiterated the Jewish Agency's commitment to encourage settlement in the Galilee and the Negev. |
