The Likud party released a partial list Tuesday night, detailing some of its demands in the current fractious coalition negotiations.
The party’s senior members in particular are disgruntled over the lack of “important” portfolios being set aside in the talks for Likud’s top MKs, many of whom have served in previous governments headed by party chair Benjamin Netanyahu.
Nevertheless, they have managed to stay united on the issue of listing the party’s policy demands for the incoming government. It’s long — an 18-point list with multiple demands detailed for each major point.
Among the party’s demands are the following:
1. IDF soldiers
– 20 percent salary hike for mandatory service recruits
– Salary hike to equal basic minimum wage in the final six months of service
– Full scholarships for university studies for soldiers
2. Cost of Living
– Emergency program to limit the cost of living
– Temporary freeze on electricity and water rates, fuel and property taxes
3. Pre-School Education
– Free day care/ pre-school education for ages 0 to 3
4. Fast track for import of products with a European standard
– Eliminate the need for Israeli standardization
5. Dramatic reduction of regulations for small and independent businesses
6. Laws and Regulations
– Reforms to ensure governance and ability to implement government policy.
– Abolish chosen directorships and enable appointment of directors from public venues who meet appropriate threshold criteria.
– Strengthen the standing of the Knesset and restoring the proper balance between the different branches of authorities through enactment of the Basic Law: The Legislation, among other things.
– Enacting reforms in public service and transitioning to positions of trust in central positions in government ministries necessary for implementation of government policy.
7. Transportation
– Launching a multi-year plan for the trans-Israel high-speed “bullet train” including allocation of the necessary budget for planning and execution.
– Transition to electric transportation
– Lower tariffs with a partial Israeli subsidy.
– Implementation of the metro plan.
8. Agriculture
– Funding for protection for farmers and agricultural workers who protect state land, and insure benefits for farmers who reach retirement age.
– Lower tariffs while subsidizing Israeli farmers.
9. Aliyah and Conversion
– Increase Absorption Ministry budget to exploit existing opportunities to significantly increase immigration to Israel.
– Expand the state conversion system and make it accessible to those who are interested in converting to Judaism.
– Reform professional licensing to allow new immigrants to work in the professions acquired in their countries of origin.
10. Communication
– Increase competition in the communications market.
11. Arab Sector
– Allocate resources and enforcement tools to eradicate crime in Arab society.
– Continue investment in the infrastructure.
– Create a five-year plan for education and employment for young people in the Arab, Druze, Bedouin and Circassian sectors.
12. Education
– Strengthen state and state-religious education, in particular studies in math, English and science.
– Reinforce English-language studies in elementary school.
– Deepen the curriculum in History of Zionism and Heritage of the People of Israel.
– Repeal the Shasha-Biton reform and reinstate the matriculation requirement in history, Bible, literature and citizenship.
– Preference for military veterans in the faculties of medicine, law, computer science, accounting and engineering.
– Strengthen higher education, in particular the implementation of government decisions regarding Ariel University.
– Increase the discount on public transportation for students.
– Increase scholarships for students who are military and national service veterans.
13. Housing
– Subsidize infrastructure to release the stockpile of planned apartments (300,000) so as to contain the increase in housing prices.
– Cut the red tape in land marketing procedures.
– Expedite issuance of building permits.
14. Culture and Sports
– Create a five-year plan for establishment of hundreds of multi-purpose sports fields.
– Initiate a project to integrate outstanding past athletes into the education system.
– Encourage original productions, including on issues of Zionism and heritage.
– Create a five-year plan to deepen musical education to include construction of 10 conservatories (music centers) to offer music studies, including at an academic level.
15. Settlement
– Stop illegal construction and seizure of Area C sections.
– Implement the Avitar outline in accordance with the decision of the outgoing government.
– Regulate young settlements, including connections to the electricity grid and the water system.
– Ensure continuation of settlement activities at Homesh.
– Strengthen Jewish settlement in all areas of the Land of Israel.
16. Periphery
– Complete high-speed public transportation connections to central Israel from the north and south.
– Rapid promotion of projects to transform the Negev and the Galilee with a biotech center and advanced agricultural industries.
17. Foreign Affairs
– Significantly deepen cooperation with the countries of the Abraham Accords with the commitment of all government ministries to promote this cooperation.
– Promote more peace agreements to end the Israeli-Arab conflict.
– Promote a fast-track visa waiver agreement with the United States.
18. Environment
– Enact the climate law, including setting a target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
– Strengthen the joint work with the climate forum of President Isaac Herzog to speed up the implementation of the State of Israel commitments at the climate conference.
