2008 defense budget dangerously lacking

Last week, the NIS 305 billion 2008 state budget was approved.  In eleven votes for the  budget, out of sixteen in which I participated, I was a member of the coalition. Last week, for the first time, I voted against the budget in breach of the coalition pact. Why?

It is in the social domain that the Labor faction has made respectable achievements, specifically in the cancellation of the anti-social decrees initiated by the Treasury. I've written previously on the expansion of the 'Health Basket'. May all my colleagues who worked hard for these achievements be blessed.

As a member of the special defense budget commission, in recent weeks, I have focused all my efforts on the matter. Last Monday, a final draft of the defense budget was presented to the commission as well as the works planned by Labor on which the budget was based on.

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The PM should sympathize

Last week's most newsworthy event was the prime minister's announcement that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I heartily wish him a full recovery and hope that the unavoidable surgery will not interfere with his political commitments.

Ehud Olmert will be operated on as soon possible by the best medical providers and should he need care thereafter, he would receive the best there is. This is only fitting.

The prime minister's illness has rightly brought increased attention to those suffering from severe diseases, who are not the prime minister. They are under different care. This week, information was released that these sick people would be deprived of NIS 300 million; money that could buy life-saving medication.