From the Liveblog of
Sunday, June 30, 2024
Government derided for expensive name change to Agriculture Ministry
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
In a last-minute decision, the government approves changing the name of the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
The decision drew criticism from some quarters, with New Hope MK Ze’ev Elkin complaining that residents of the north are receiving far less than they need to rehabilitate their evacuated communities while the government “has money” for what he presented as a cosmetic change.
“And congratulations to the new Security (Food) Minister, MK Avi Dichter, who joins the distinguished club of Defense Minister Gallant and National Security Minister Ben Gvir,” he tweets.
A spokesman for Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter pushes back against critics, insisting in a statement that the name change is only a part of a larger strategic shift in which the ministry “will lead [Israel’s] food security plan for the next 25 years.”
The move is also condemned by the Movement for Quality Government, a prominent watchdog group, which estimates a cost of between NIS 1.5-2 million ($400,000 – $530,000) to “update official documents, websites, business cards, and a wide variety of advertising and administrative materials.”
“While the country is facing significant economic and security challenges, the government chooses to invest millions of shekels in a useless cosmetic change,” the group says in a statement.
“This is a scandalous waste of public funds, which could have be used for more essential purposes. We call on the government to withdraw from this decision and direct the resources to address the real problems of the citizens of Israel.”
