Dear Readers,
The report before you is
published each spring. Its four
goals, equal to the number of its
target audiences, are:
♦ To assist government decision-makers with their
deliberations as they prepare the
agenda for formulating the next year’s budget
♦ To expand the knowledge of public leaders in politics and in the municipal
government
♦ To enrich the character of the materials to which the
educators of the next generation
of citizens are exposed
♦ To provide additional ways for the general public
to analyze the present situation
Our approach to the subject
is value-based, but in this report
we are also examining quantities, and the measure is 18.6%—the percentage of
Arab citizens in the Israeli population. The quantitative approach is not
entirely equitable, since the needs far exceed this technical equality. It appears that a response involving
preferential treatment in the budget, that is, exceeding this figure, is
required. Nevertheless, we used this figure because it is easier to
comprehend. For the most part, the
situation is so lacking, that it seems at times as if reaching the 18.6% line
might suffice; however, it is not.
The budget year reviewed was
1999, but occasionally we commented on the year 2000. We did this where it
would help in understanding the context.
Our review is not absolutely
comprehensive, because we do not have the means to examine all areas of
activity in all the government ministries. We therefore chose issues almost at
random. The report before you, however, contains enough particulars that can be
put together to sufficiently portray the situation. In almost every “glass”
examined, we found the “empty half” to be greater than the “full half”. In each individual case, we propose a
way to fill the glass, to remedy the situation.
This is not a situation that
needs minor tinkering; rather, an all-encompassing change of approach based on
principle is required. The problem
that pervades every area that we reviewed is the issue of access. Arab citizens
have very poor access to the State’s resources and services. It seems to us
that a review of the Arab citizens’ situation should be
conducted by the State annualy over the next ten years.
To this end, we propose to
the State Comptroller that the criterion of access be the primary index for a
professional and authorized study. It is hoped that the Comptroller’s powers
will be expanded so that the implementation of his conclusions can help to
improve the situation.
We hope you find the report
interesting and useful.
Shalom
(Shuli) Dichter
Co
Directors