The decision sets in motion the first phase of a five-year plan that will see the investment of 2 billion shekels ($512 million) in Druze and Circassian communities nationwide. The resources allocated Sunday will go toward ongoing projects, while the allocation of the remainder of the funds will be finalized once a new government is sworn in following next March’s elections.
“This is a wide-ranging plan relating to infrastructure, employment, education, and other issues, and it will do two things,” Netanyahu said. “First, it will help bridge the gaps between this sector and the population at large. Second, it will demonstrate our appreciation for the unique role of Druze and Circassians play in our armed forces, who are our flesh and blood, who fight and fall in defense of our people. I think that this is one of the ways to express this gratitude.”