“Deri’s Food Stamps”

Hiddush will submit a petition to the Supreme Court regarding food security, which challenges the placement of political interests of the Shas party over the welfare and food security of those in need in the State of Israel

24/08/2023 10:52

Tags: Shas · food security · elections

Shas election poster (“Hungry for Change”)

Hiddush will be submitting a petition to the Supreme Court regarding food security, which challenges the placement of political interests (of the Shas party and its partners, the ultra-Orthodox Ashkenazi parties) over the welfare and food security of those in need in the State of Israel, and at their expense. ”Deri's food stamps" (loaded “credit cards” that can be used in certain food stores) is the nickname for a budget item which intended to add a billion NIS towards improving the food security of all Israeli residents, thereby multiplying funding for food security fivefold! (This “label” and the distribution of "Deri's food stamps" played a central role in the election propaganda of the Shas party in their election campaign leading to the 2022 elections).

However, instead of designating this additional amount as part of the official food security project (which operates under the Ministry of Welfare according to professional standards) the coalition agreement with Shas stipulated that it would be distributed through the Ministry of the Interior (controlled by Shas).

The main criterion used for receiving this food subsidy is eligibility for a municipal property tax discount, a criterion formed from the start by Shas

The main criterion used for receiving this food subsidy is eligibility for a municipal property tax discount, a criterion formed from the start by Shas (which has had control over the Ministry of the Interior for years). Criteria were composed that would primarily favor low-income families with many children (typical in the Haredi community, most of whose men refuse to enter the work force). It is no surprise, therefore, that this mostly benefits Haredi families.

According to the National Insurance Institute, over half a million families in Israel suffer from a lack of food security, and 265,000 families suffer from severe food insecurity, meaning that they have difficulty purchasing food and are not sure when the next meal will be placed on their table and what it will consist of.

This criterion was already used for the distribution of “food stamps” during the Covid-19 epidemic. Studies revealed that they were distributed mainly in ultra-Orthodox cities, and to a far lesser extent to residents of Arab towns and Bedouin settlements, where food insecurity is greater and more severe.