Liberman says Israeli power bill hikes ‘most moderate in world’

Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman defends hikes in prices of utilities and other goods, particularly electricity, saying they are “the most moderate in the world.”

Electricity prices were hiked 4.9 percent at the start of the month.

Despite the fact that Israel has become a major natural gas producer in recent years, he blames part of the rise on the cost of shipping gas, which he says has gone up 640% since the start of the pandemic.

He adds that he won’t tolerate using the cost hikes to price gouge, however, indicating that he knows of some manufacturers doing so, without divulging who they are.

“We are looking at the companies’ balance sheets, revenues, dividends and foreign exchange rates. When I look at a few companies I see them taking cynical advantage,” he says during a weekly faction meeting.