Lieberman: "No gift distribution" • Business owners are furious: "Are we stupid?""

January 9, 2022   

Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman today (Sunday), in a media briefing, rejected claims against the government's current policy, which does not compensate business owners, following the spread of the Omicron strain. Has it been three months since your second vaccination? This is how you will protect yourself from the virus Did you divide? For thousands of years we dreamed of Jerusalem, so now we want to dirty it? On Saturday: The mother rested, the child pulled the trigger – and was hospitalized in serious condition Lieberman said: "I saw the dividends that company owners withdrew for profits in 2021, I wish everyone the same situation in 2022." He emphasized: "Since there is no general closure, there is also no grant for every citizen. We definitely believe that every business that is affected should be helped, but we must understand that ultimately most businesses are in excellent shape and I am happy about that as Minister of Finance." He added: "I must make sure that the economy works. I never said that under no conditions and under no circumstances will there be help for businesses. But there will be no distribution of gifts and electoral bribes, my job as Minister of Finance is to protect the public purse." He said, "Ultimately, it is impossible to reach dramatic conclusions based on 10 days. We check ourselves every day. A summary meeting is held every day at the Ministry of Finance at 11 p.m. We have our finger on the pulse, even in the most apocalyptic scenario, 90 percent of the State of Israel will function. Our main problem right now is the shortage of working hands, even as of this evening. "I listen to the media and see an apocalypse. I suggest that the media also behave in a balanced and responsible manner and address the facts. We are prepared in all respects and for every scenario. From what I hear from the experts, we must maintain stability and discretion." Lieberman's words drew sharp criticism from business owners - and it seems that his words only increased the great anger that already prevails in the public. Noam Levy, chairman of the Association of Hall and Event Park Owners, told Israel Hayom: "He thinks we are stupid. He talks about industries and all sorts of things, let him talk about the events industry. Let him come to us, he is welcome to receive the data. Let him stop confusing his mind that everything is working. The event halls are not full. We are suffering from a dramatic decrease in the number of participants and we have a 90% decrease in the number of events. We only have cancellations upon cancellations. Let him stop talking about unrelated things and stop ignoring us as if people were just screaming. We are fed up." Tomer Mor, CEO of 'Strong Restaurateurs Together' said: "Finance Minister Lieberman refers to the economy in macro terms and ignores the situation on the ground in micro terms with restaurateurs. As the fifth wave of illness increases and the government's decision to lift restrictions leads to customers being locked up at home," he said, "the demand for compensation is legitimate and appropriate, and we will remind the Ministry of Finance that thanks in large part to the compensation in the first and second waves that we achieved, the economy managed to remain strong during the crisis. We call on the Minister of Finance, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Economy to sit down and formulate a compensation outline from me to save restaurants and businesses that are still carrying financial debts as a result of the crisis." Rami Beja, producer and chairman of the Independent Forum at the Histadrut House, responded: "Lieberman is probably starting to lose steam, the time has come. It won't help him, it's closing in on him. He can't behave like this, it can't work in the long run. But the fact that he said something amorphous, I don't see the money in the bank yet. We are masters of tricks and will not rest until the money is in our pockets." Mira Einhorn, a veteran beautician and owner of a clinic in Rehovot, who has experienced the impact of the quarantines following the fifth wave of the coronavirus in the past two weeks, told Channel 12: "Just today, 80% of my appointments were canceled. Every half hour I receive a cancellation notice due to infections and quarantines. From a full work day that I was supposed to work until tonight, I was left with only two treatments, which are also in question. In businesses like mine, appointments are set in advance and customers do not come in from time to time. If someone canceled, there is no income." Einhorn explains that the major damage to the business began about two weeks ago, with the expansion of the disease, and has only intensified since then. President of the Crafts and Industry Association, Yossi Alkov: "Although the government is acting as if there is no lockdown, in reality the number of quarantines and confirmed cases indicate that we are deep in a de facto lockdown. The fact is that personal service providers are being demoralized. They cannot work remotely and any type of treatment that requires closeness and contact is not provided with any response. Revenues are dropping dramatically and if, God forbid, they are verified, they close the business, pay all expenses but have zero income. The government is disconnected and ignoring reality. They must come to their senses and create a compensation path.".