Treasury said to recommend shutting 10 unnecessary ministries to cover budget shortfalls

The Finance Ministry has reportedly recommended closing 10 superfluous government ministries to cover a wartime budget shortfall of NIS 70 billion ($20 billion), alongside a list of other potential measures.

According to Channel 12 news, the ministries targeted by the treasury are:

• The Settlements and National Missions Ministry, headed by Orit Strock.
• The Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition Ministry, helmed by Meir Porush.
• The Intelligence Ministry, headed by Gila Gamliel.
• The Ministry for the Development of the Negev and the Galilee, headed by Yitzhak Wasserlauf.
• The Regional Cooperation Ministry, helmed by David Amsalem.
• The Diaspora Affairs and Social Equality Ministry, led by Amichai Chikli.
• The Strategic Affairs Ministry, headed by Ron Dermer.
• The Heritage Ministry, led by Amichai Eliyahu.
• The Advancement of the Status of Women Ministry, helmed by May Golan.

According to the report, the Finance Ministry is also recommending cutting NIS 5 billion ($1.4 billion) off coalition funds — money going to party’s political demands — nixing subsidies on gas prices, hiking taxes on cigarettes, and further taxing benefits in advanced study funds.

If there is no other choice, the treasury could reportedly recommended raising the VAT tax attached to virtually all consumer goods, which currently stands at 17%.