Meretz-Yahad

Meretz was founded in 1992 by a union of CRM, Mapam and Shinui. In the 1992 Knesset elections, Meretz won 12 seats, making it the third largest party, and joined the coalition with Yitzhak Rabin. Yossi Sarid led Meretz during the 1996 elections when it obtained nine seats and joined the opposition. It won ten seats in the 15th Knesset. In June 2005, the party was renamed Meretz-Yahad. The decision was a compromise between those who favored the name Yahad and others who preferred the party’s original name, Meretz. Renaming the party Yahad was an initiative by its leader, Yossi Beilin, in 2003 amid efforts to win back voters who had defected from Meretz to the center-left Labor Party and the secular Shinui Party.

1. A Just and Comprehensive Peace between Israel and its Neighbors
   
2. Human and Civil Rights
   
3. Social Justice
   
4. Ecology and a Safe Environment
   

Platform (Excerpts)

The State of Israel will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice, and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

(From Israel's Declaration of Independence)

The fundamental rights of the individual in Israel are based on the recognition of the inherent value of the human being, and the sanctity of his/her life as a free person, and shall be respected in the spirit of the principles enunciated in IsraelÕs Declaration of Independence.

(Basic Law: The Dignity and Freedom of the Individual, amendment sponsored by Meretz, 1994)

Israel is a Jewish and democratic state, a state belonging to all its citizens, Jews and Arabs alike.

During the entire course of its existence, Israel has faced vital economic and social challenges, while constantly battling for its very life and security. In recent years,

despite all the difficulties that have been and will continue to be, Israel's peace policy has enhanced Israel's security, political and economic status as never before; and it enables Israel to govern in a manner befitting a modern and just society, as an integral member of the family of democratic, enlightened and flourishing nations.

Meretz has consistently charted a course aimed at extricating Israel from the vicious circle of bloodshed and continued warfare with the Arab world, as well as from the economic and social inferiority wrought by the situation. Today, Meretz knows that, despite murderous terrorist attacks, the peace process can be brought to its rightful conclusion, thereby unleashing the tremendous creative energy of Israel's citizens to fashion an Israeli society that will be open and democratic.

As we approach the year 2000, Israel, which continues to make economic, technological, scientific and cultural advances, should and can be one of the leading nations of the world in terms of education, standard of living and quality of life of its citizens; at the same time it should function as a cohesive society that grants maximal equal opportunity and minimizes social gaps, while reinforcing its democratic regime and the civil rights of all who reside within its borders.

Meretz is the only party whose platform presents a comprehensive program to put the nation on the right path. Meretz charts the course of the nation's future.

Comprehensive Peace

Comprehensive peace with the Arab world is a diplomatic and security objective of the highest priority; and can only be achieved by reaching a permanent settlement with the Palestinian people, and signing peace treaties with Syria and Lebanon.

Peace with Egypt, which has proven durable though lacking and limited in certain respects, and peace with Jordan, which was attained by virtue of the agreements with the Palestinians, cannot endure indefinitely as a separate peace. Without additional peace agreements, cracks may appear in the peace with Egypt and Jordan. Moreover, without progress towards peace, the threat of another war increases, and each war in the region is far more vicious and lethal than the one which preceded it, primarily because of the burgeoning presence of strategic and unconventional weaponry in the Middle East.

It is indeed true that Israel faces additional dangers from radical fundamentalism and those nations who aid and abet it, Iran first and foremost; but the more the circle of peace with Arab nations widens, the greater our ability to withstand these threats will be.

Peace with Syria will remove the danger of a surprise attack; peace with the Palestinian people will diminish the threat of terror; and the two together will pave the road to peace with most Arab nations. The budding diplomatic and economic ties between Israel and the Arab world, which have begun to flourish in the wake of the Oslo accords, amply illustrate the inherent advantages for Israel of the reality of peace in the Middle East; and the full potential of these relations can only be realized in the context of a comprehensive peace. Widening the circle of peace will also reinforce Israel vis-’-vis its neighboring countries and over the long run will reduce the fear of sliding back into a state of conflict and war.

Comprehensive peace in the Middle East will result in an increase in foreign investment and will revitalize Israel's commercial relations; economic development will add to Israel's strength and the well-being of its citizens.

Peace with the Palestinian People

The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is the crux of the entire Middle East conflict; therefore, reaching a permanent settlement with the Palestinian people is of vital importance for the State of Israel.

The grave crisis in relations between Israel and the Palestinians, in the wake of the suicide attacks in the heart of Israel's population centers, does not alter the basic fact that continuing the peace process through cooperation between Israel and the Palestinians is both possible and essential for both sides. This task requires the Palestinian Authority in whom the Israeli public has lost a great degree of confidence to take far-reaching measures against terror, as well as to comply fully with its commitments in keeping with the Oslo accords, including the repeal of the Palestinian covenant in its present form.

There is no alternative to continuing the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. Any attempt to turn back the clock and revert to being an occupation regime, even to a partial extent, is against Israel's interests and its fundamental values. The illusion, held by the Israeli right, that it is possible to freeze the situation in the territories in the format of an interim agreement, has no basis in reality. It creates a dangerous situation of persistent conflict between Israelis and Palestinians; it increases the risk of terror perpetrated by extremist Palestinians; and it is a certain recipe for continued deterioration of relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, to the point of the collapse of the Oslo accords. The choice is obvious: compromise and partition of the land between the two peoples, or eternal conflict between them.

THE PERMANENT SETTLEMENT

Mutual recognition between Israel and the PLO, as the representative of the Palestinian people, paved the way for the signing of the Oslo accords; and negotiations over a permanent settlement will be conducted with the Palestinian Authority which was established in keeping with these agreements.

Meretz views the realization of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination as an established basis for any future peace settlement. The significance of this is the recognition of its right to establish an independent state alongside the State of Israel, peacefully coexisting with Israel, and based on ensuring the security of both sides and strict compliance with the agreements existing between them. Israel would also regard positively the establishment of a confederation between the Palestinian state and Jordan, should the Palestinians and Jordanians so desire.

The cease-fire lines of 1949 have never been internationally recognized borders. The permanent borders between Israel and the Palestinian state will be determined in negotiations between the parties; and Israel will have to withdraw from most of the territories that were occupied in the Six Day War, as will be agreed. The central considerations in determining the border demarcations must be those related to security and demography, so that Israel's security will be enhanced, and as few Palestinian residents of the territories as possible will remain under Israeli rule, and as few Israelis as possible under Palestinian rule.

Meretz opposes certain ideas that have been proposed in Labor Party circles, according to which, large portions of the West Bank will be annexed to Israel an eventuality that would prevent any possibility of a lasting agreement with the Palestinians. On the other hand, informal contacts with Palestinians tend to indicate that it is possible to achieve a just compromise on the issue of permanent borders that would guarantee the vital interests of both parties.

In any event, Israeli withdrawal is conditional upon security arrangements that will enable Israel to preempt threats quickly and efficiently. The evacuated territories will be demilitarized, and any violation will entitle Israel to act in accordance with the fundamental right of self-defense, a right that shall be guaranteed in both the peace agreements and the regional security arrangements. Any agreement will guarantee that no foreign army or terrorist force will cross the Jordan River westward, nor establish its bases there.

The peace agreements will establish, by mutual consent, the framework of future relations between the two states in the areas of economics, tourism, transportation, environmental protection and the joint use of water. Israel will insist on guaranteeing its national interests in these areas, without adversely affecting the Palestinians.

JERUSALEM

Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, will remain indivisible. The city's permanent status, to be determined in the peace agreement, will take into account all the unique religious and national attributes of the city.

SEPARATION BETWEEN TWO STATES

The establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel will make a normal reality of the separation between two sovereign nations, peacefully coexisting one with the other, and working together cooperatively to their mutual benefit. Without such a clear-cut separation, Israel is compelled time and again to resort to the problematic measure of imposing a closure on the territories of the Palestinian Authority, and on the territories in general, a step that is damaging to both sides.

Separation between Israel and the Palestinians in the political, security and economic spheres is essential both in the short-term and as an interim stage towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The existence of radical fundamentalist groups who will stop at nothing to wreak terror, to murder and to torpedo the agreements between Israel and the Palestinians necessitates a separation that will guarantee the personal security of Israeli citizens and prevent conflict between the parties; the residues of traditional hatred between the two peoples requires a separation that will permit each side to manage its own affairs, until such time as normal neighborly relations will prevail between them.

Massive employment of Palestinian workers in Israel entails grave security risks and creates a fundamentally abnormal situation from a human and societal point of view. It is offensive to the Palestinian workers themselves, because of the unavoidable security restrictions and checks involved in entering Israel; it entails unfortunate incidences of exploitation; and it also hinders the development of an independent economy within the territories of the Palestinian Authority. This cheap labor also affects the wages of Israeli workers and impedes technological progress in various sectors of the Israeli economy. A clear separation between the two populations is desirable both from a security standpoint, and as a way of perpetuating Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Until there is a fixed border between Israel and the Palestinian state, the demarcation line between the sovereign State of Israel and the territories will be the state's temporary border. The immediate manifestation of the requisite separation is closure of this temporary border and stricter control at border-crossing points in order to prevent illegal crossings. Once the border is fixed, it will be possible to gradually increase the passage of goods and people from one side to the other, as is the norm between neighboring countries.

With the reduction in the number of Palestinians working in Israel, it will be necessary to guarantee other sources of income for Palestinians during the interim period, and to develop alternatives to their employment in the Israeli economy. In order to make this possible from an economic standpoint, significant regional and international financial assistance will be necessary for a number of years and primarily, investment that will lay the infrastructure for an independent Palestinian economy, including construction of a shipping port in the Gaza Strip. Israel will be willing to participate in this international effort. Israel will encourage the establishment of zones along the border with the Palestinian Authority in which economic projects will be undertaken under joint Israeli and Palestinian management or ownership.

The establishment of an independent Palestinian economy will enable trilateral economic cooperation with Israel and Jordan that will augment the movement of goods and merchandise among the parties, along the lines of the North American NAFTA agreement. Raising the Palestinians' standard of living will lessen the motivation for religious fanaticism and terror, and when the security and economic situation so permits, it will be possible to remove the restrictions on the movements of workers as well.

CIVIL RIGHTS IN THE TERRITORIES

So long as an independent Palestinian state has not been established, the IDF is compelled to continue to maintain control over security in parts of the territories, a situation that creates inevitable conflict with the local population in those areas.

In order to keep clashes between the Palestinian population and the IDF to an absolute minimum, and thus also minimize the damage they cause to the prospects for peace and to civil rights in the territories, military action must be taken under conditions of maximal coordination with the Palestinian Authority, and without imposing collective punishment or illegal punitive measures, which cause more harm than good, since they reinforce radical elements while weakening the Palestinian Authority, Israel's partner in the peace process.

Until such time as there is a comprehensive peace agreement, Israel must exercise its rule in the territories with strict adherence to the laws of the State of Israel, the laws of natural justice, international law, and international covenants that protect the rights of populations in occupied territory. The IDF must act within the framework of the law, manifesting the utmost restraint not to infringe upon civil rights, taking pains to respect the dignity of the individual, and, most importantly, being vigilant in protecting human life. The military authorities will eschew torture when conducting interrogations, and the residents' rights to due process will be respected.

Meretz will fight to protect the basic rights of the residents of the territories, including the right to family unification.

THE SETTLEMENTS AND THE SETTLERS

Meretz has opposed, and continues to completely oppose, the policy of Israeli settlement in the territories, which has created an intolerable situation in the amalgam of two hostile populations. The existence of small and isolated settlements, some of them in the heart of Palestinian centers of population, has given rise to many complicated security problems and has made it difficult to demarcate the areas of the Palestinian Authority's control under the Oslo accords, thus placing a heavy burden on implementing the accords.

For the purpose of minimizing, as far as possible, the obstacle to the peace agreements constituted by the settlements in the territories, Israel must refrain from expropriating any land and from permitting new construction in the settlements. Israel will undertake the dismantling of small and isolated settlements, already during negotiations over a permanent settlement, thus reducing the need for a superfluous Israeli military presence among the Palestinian population. The voluntary evacuation of Israeli settlers is to be preferred; to encourage this, the government will set up a system of specific and reasonable incentives for families interested in moving their places of residence to areas within the sovereign State of Israel.

Until such time as there is peace and an Israeli withdrawal from the overwhelming majority of the settlements, Israel will be responsible for guaranteeing the security of settlers who are Israeli citizens. In coordination with the Palestinian Authority, the free movement of settlers between Israel and the settlements will be guaranteed; and Israel will provide the settlers with normal health and education services. At the same time, Israel will attempt to prevent settlers from committing acts in violation of law and order, whether directed at Palestinians or at the security forces, and that aggressive legal measures will be taken against lawbreakers.

Peace With Syria

In spite of the radical positions dominating Syrian policy, especially recently, peace with Syria is of strategic importance for Israel. Peace with Syria will remove the danger of a surprise attack, will bring peace and quiet to the northern border with Lebanon, and will pave the way for peace with most Arab nations. Therefore, in exchange for full peace with Syria, anchored in rigid security arrangements and guaranteeing Israel's water sources, Israel must agree to gradual withdrawal to the international border.

The peace agreement with Syria must guarantee that the Golan Heights will never again serve as a launching area for aggression against Israel, its settlements or its water sources. The security arrangements to be determined will have to be comprehensive and variegated; and they will be based on widespread demilitarization, reduction of forces, sophisticated early warning measures, normalization of relations between the two nations, and international guarantees.

The peace agreement will also bring peace with Lebanon, thus thwarting Hizbullah terror, guaranteeing the security of northern Israeli localities, enabling withdrawal from the security strip in southern Lebanon, and ending the many years of bloodshed along our northern border. The well-being of the members of the SLA and Lebanese citizens working in Israel will be guaranteed.

The IDF and Security Policy

The defense capability of the IDF is the main guarantee of Israel's security, and Meretz believes that the IDF's strength must be maintained even under conditions of peace that will prevail in the regionÕs future. Peace will relieve the IDF of its policing responsibilities in the territories, thereby enabling it to develop its strategic capabilities for adaptation to the battlefields of the future, while adapting defense theories to the new reality created by agreements with our neighboring countries.

The IDF's deterrent capability will be maintained and enhanced by the systematic development of advanced technologies and sophisticated weaponry, original and modern conceptualizations of war strategies, and training of better soldiers, with special emphasis on their human values as a combatant. Meretz, which has made peace one of Israel's high-priority objectives, will fight to insure that the IDF receives the full budgetary resources needed to preserve its might and its superiority in qualitative, technological and human terms over all the armies of the region. We must ensure that a significant percentage of the IDF budget goes toward reinforcement and R&D, so that the IDF's strength and qualitative advantage will be maintained.

The IDF is the army of the whole nation. The government must not be allowed to involve it in a war that is not a defensive war, or to exploit it in trying to further personal or politically partisan objectives. Meretz will fight any tendency to weaken or attack the IDF's standing, the spirit of sacrifice of its soldiers and officers, and appreciation owed it by the Israeli public. Meretz will vigorously oppose any manifestation of sedition against democratic civilian authority to which, and to which alone, the army must be subject including calls by rabbis to disobey orders.

In light of demonstrations of chauvinism and racism manifested by segments of Israeli society, the IDF has a special responsibility to be even more vigilant in enforcing its battlefield morals and ensuring that its actions are lawful.

Civil and Human Rights

Meretz initiated the legislation of the Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty, and the Basic Law: Freedom of Vocation laws which, in the words of the President of the Supreme Court, represent a constitutional revolution ensuring basic human rights in Israel, particularly the right to life, liberty, and dignity. The power of the Supreme Court to enforce human rights was dramatically enhanced after these two Basic Laws stated, on the initiative of Meretz during the current Knesset, that these rights will be respected in the spirit of the principles of the Declaration of Independence.

Among other things, the Basic Laws guarantee:

A. Respect for the life, person, and dignity of each individual, without discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, religious affiliation, political opinion, personal and social status, or any other reason.

B. The right of each individual to enjoy protection of his/her body and soul, not to be humiliated, demeaned, or tortured.

C. The rights of each individual to personal liberty and freedom of movement within the country and to other countries.

D. The personal life of the individual, and his/her right to privacy.

E. Freedom of vocation, employment, and creativity.

The general principles included in the Basic Laws that have already been passed protect basic democratic values, including the equality of all people and individual freedom. These values should be enshrined in a more detailed manner in separate Basic Laws; Meretz is therefore working to legislate separate Basic Laws detailing and extending human and civil rights in various areas. During the present Knesset, Meretz has had three Basic Laws successfully passed at the first reading: Basic Law: Legal Rights; Basic Law: Freedom of Expression and Association; and Basic Law: Social Rights. In the next Knesset, Meretz will strive to complete the legislation of these Basic Laws, which will guarantee the rights of each person to legal defense and due legal process, to freedom of conscience and expression, and to the freedom of association and demonstration. Meretz will also work to ensure that changes to these laws require a special majority.

Meretz will initiate legislation setting criteria regarding rights for residents who are not citizens, and providing enlightened procedures for the naturalization of those to whom the Law of Return does not apply.

As the Basic Law: The Government (direct election of the prime minister) comes into force, Meretz will act to prevent the blanket extension of all the emergency regulations. In a democratic society, there is no room, in the absence of a genuine state of emergency, for the existence of such draconian regulations.

The emergency regulations dating back to the British Mandate will be canceled and replaced by an Israeli law which will strike a balance between human rights and security needs, and provide for judicial review of any use of these regulations. Other outdated laws mainly from the Mandate period that are inconsistent with the principles of Israeli democracy will also be abolished or amended.

Democratization of Society

The democratic nature of the state is determined not only by its legal system, but also, and more importantly, by the extent to which the legally-defined democratic principles are actually implemented, and the extent to which democracy is realized in fields where there are no binding legal norms.

In this context, it is of vital importance to foster an awareness of democracy on the part of all residents of the state. A recognition of the basic and equal civil rights of all citizens, and of the importance of democratic principles and practice, should be shared by all, serving as the basis for the day-to-day behavior of each individual.

An effort should be made to extend political democracy and transform it into social democracy. The goal should be to develop a participatory democracy in which citizens do not confine themselves to participating in elections every few years. Citizens should be involved in discussion and action in all fields, on the local, regional, and national level: In relations between workers and factories; parents, pupils, and schools; students and institutions of higher education; residents of housing projects on neighborhood committees and municipal councils; insured members of funds and kupot holim, and so on.

Youth movements whose activities contribute to strengthening principled positions and which encourage volunteerism, responsibility, and social involvement will receive financial encouragement.

There will be guaranteed freedom of political action on university and college campuses, and students will be encouraged to become involved in the local community.

Immigrant Absorption

The Zionist aim of the State of Israel is to be a welcoming home for every Jew who so wishes; and immigration to Israel is also a source of strength for the State of Israel. The large wave of immigration in recent years is a blessing for Israeli society, and its generally successful absorption is a badge of honor for our society and the absorption system.

Changing the government's order of priorities enabled the channeling of resources for the absorption of immigrants and handling absorption problems, so that each immigrant could fit into society and become personally acclimatized. Our economy and society will benefit tremendously from these new immigrants' personal and professional potential.

Over the course of recent years, very significant and promising interrelationships have developed among the three central processes in which our country has become involved: the peace process, immigrant absorption, and economic growth.

Our economic growth, unparalleled in the western industrialized world these years, was made possible primarily by three factors: the peace process opened up new markets and encouraged additional investment; the absorption of 700,000 immigrants, bringing with them valuable human capital and providing the Israeli economy with new opportunities, while creating a tremendous amount of new needs and demands; the government's change in the nation's order of priorities transferred official investment from Jewish settlement in the territories to investment in physical and human infrastructure, to the refurbishing of the highway system, and to education. The mass immigration, which constituted a key factor in our economic growth, was itself the first beneficiary of this development.

The general positive balance in the area of immigrant absorption does not free us from clarifying the specific problems it entails, or from pointing out problems that have yet to be solved and challenges that have yet to be met.

New immigrants especially in the period shortly after their arrival in Israel, and before they have learned Hebrew are a group particularly sensitive to violations of their rights. We must continue the policy of the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption to provide immigrants with as much information as possible about their rights, and about employment possibilities and possible housing solutions, in their native language. We must take pains to enforce the social laws protecting immigrants' rights, especially at places of employment. Frequently, immigrants are not aware of these rights, and they are afraid to question, or they do not know to whom to turn.

The state must guarantee that immigrants will receive suitable housing and employment, as well as quality education, and that they will be helped to integrate into Israeli society while preserving their language and culture to the extent they desire, and that they and their children will be equal members of society.

The housing problems of the overwhelming majority of immigrants have been solved, mainly through the purchase of apartments with the help of mortgages. Some others have received welfare housing for the elderly and single parents.

This was the first time in Israel's history that public sector apartments were distributed among eligible immigrants according to criteria that had been formulated in consultation with representatives of the immigrants and by housing committees that included their representatives. At the same time, it is worth noting that Meretz's proposals for public construction of welfare housing at a rate that would meet the needs of immigrant absorption and the elderly were not approved.

In the next administration, Meretz will continue its efforts to guarantee public and economic construction of welfare housing, to adopt more effective policies for reducing housing costs in Israel, and to improve the terms of mortgages and rental assistance.

Under the Labor-Meretz government, the level of unemployment among new immigrants dropped significantly (from 30% to 9%). However, along with this positive development, we witnessed low wages, nearly twice the unemployment among women, and a high rate of unemployment among those over 45 years of age.

According to the policy charted by Meretz, increased employment in general, and among immigrants in particular, will be achieved by a three-pronged effort: by a comprehensive policy for economic growth, by an accompanying effort for the vocational training and rehabilitation of immigrants to suit the needs of the economy, and by a complementary effort to take care of special populations among the immigrants. These activities require significant government investment, and primarily a systematic effort to identify problems and propose new solutions, with the cooperation of the business sector. These investments are not only the government's duty towards the immigrants, but also a means for priming the entire economy. Integration in suitable jobs is a prerequisite for successful absorption in other areas as well, and it is the immigrant's contribution to the general good.

During Meretz's time in the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, special initiatives were adopted to find work for educated immigrants in their professions, especially scientists, engineers, physicians and artists. Greater and more efficient use of the tremendous human capital among the immigrants is vital not only for their successful absorption, but also for the further development of science, technology and the economy in our country. We must continue administering, developing and expanding the various programs that were initiated by the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption under the leadership of Meretz (such as the Giladi program, the Eckstein program, and others). Special emphasis must be placed on the need for devising a plan for the long-term hiring of immigrant scientists by institutions of higher learning, under conditions that will lessen the gap between them and Israeli scientists at the same professional levels. Similarly, we must continue and even expand the Ministry of Science's programs of awarding research grants to immigrant scientists.

We must expand and develop the activity of the absorption center for immigrant artists, supported primarily by the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and the Ministry of the Arts, in order to further the absorption of thousands of immigrant artists representing the entire range of the arts, and especially the field of music. Under Meretz's leadership, the Ministries of Immigrant Absorption, Education and the Arts promoted innovative programs in these areas, employing immigrant artists: from schools for musicians' in poorer neighborhoods and development towns to developing music education centers in the Arab and Druze sectors. These activities must be continued and expanded both in order to provide suitable employment for thousands of immigrant artists and also to take advantage of their contribution to the cultural development of Israeli society.

Under Meretz, the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption adopted a policy of socio-cultural absorption based on respect for the principle of pluralism. This principle was put into operation both in regard to the culture of the immigrants' country of origin, as well as in finding the best ways to bring the immigrants closer to the history and tradition of our people. As a concrete example of this policy, which is the opposite of the melting pot concept, we can point to the Minister of Absorption's Prize for immigrant authors writing in their native language.

Meretz will increase its efforts on behalf of the social and cultural integration of immigrants on the basis of these principles, and will persevere in its struggle against any disrespect aimed at immigrants and against any attempt to stigmatize them insultingly, and in its campaign to publicize their important contribution to the development of Israel's economy, science and culture.

The successful absorption of Ethiopian immigrants is a particular challenge for Israeli society. During Meretz's term in the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, the principle of affirmative action has been applied comprehensively to every aspect of Ethiopian immigration; and the investment in their absorption is at least three times that allocated to the absorption of other immigrants. This policy is especially evident in the special mortgage campaign for Ethiopian immigrants, which was responsible for getting close to 90% of the families out of their temporary housing in caravan sites. Another example of this policy is in the cooperation between the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and the Ministry of Education towards advancing the integration of young Ethiopians into institutions of higher learning; thanks to this policy, the number of Ethiopian students increased sixfold in these four years.

Meretz will continue expanding this policy, moving people out of the caravan sites, solving the housing problem for young Ethiopians, promoting vocational education for Ethiopians so that they may be trained for a variety of jobs, administering special programs to help young Ethiopians study for advanced degrees, and more.

Meretz will continue to implement the principle of involving representatives of the community in decisions affecting their fate, as it has done during its present term of office.

Under Meretz's leadership in the Ministry of Education, special measures were taken to absorb Ethiopian children into the education system, and there was a significant increase in the number of Ethiopian students earning matriculation certificates. Special problems in this area were caused by the fact that the overwhelming majority of these children were sent, at their parents' request, to state religious schools.

Meretz will act to further integrate Ethiopian children into all levels of the education system, to strictly oversee children's testing, and to reinforce all their support systems, designed to advance the children's scholastic achievement in general, and particularly their matriculation exam scores.

The efforts on behalf of successful integration of Ethiopians into the IDF will continue.

Over and above all the absorption efforts described above, Israeli society faces a key challenge: the social integration of Ethiopian immigrants into Israeli society. In order to cope with this challenge, action must be taken to eradicate all manifestations of discrimination and racism against this community. The blood donor scandal has exposed the extreme sensitivity and pain rooted in the community, which traces its main roots to the chief rabbinate's non-recognition of the Beta Israel's full Jewish identity. Meretz will persist in its struggle on behalf of the full social and cultural absorption of Ethiopian immigrants, on the basis of equality and prevention of any prejudice or discrimination.

A Cohesive And Egalitarian Society—Social Responsibility

Social responsibility has a dual connotation: the responsibility of the individual towards society, the responsibility of the society towards the individual.

The responsibility of the individual towards society is the responsibility of an involved citizen, and it can be fulfilled only under conditions of comprehensive democratization of society. Democratization grants society's members control over their destiny personal and collective because every individual has an inherent right and moral responsibility to participate in the democratic process. The individual may exercise this right in the context of various forms of voluntary organization: political, professional, social and cultural.

The responsibility of the society towards the individual is the responsibility to realize the principles of democracy and social justice. It is also the responsibility to ensure equality of rights, to reduce gaps among various population groups, and to assist disadvantaged populations by means of sophisticated welfare services.

ARAB CITIZENS OF ISRAEL

For dozens of years, Israel's Arab citizens have suffered from discrimination in the allocation of resources for economic development and social services. Despite the tremendous improvement in recent years, especially in the areas of education and culture, there are still a number of areas where the gaps are significant and progress in diminishing them has proved unsatisfactory.

In order to diminish the gaps between Arab and Druze citizens of Israel and Jewish citizens of Israel, we must continue to implement a policy of affirmative action so as to rectify past inequities in the allotment of resources and the provision of public services, until equality is achieved. When equality is achieved, resources will be allocated to all localities according to uniform and objective criteria.

Equality in allocations must apply to assistance and development budgets as well. Special emphasis must be given to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Religious Affairs, where there are still inequities favoring benefits for the Jewish sector.

Priority must be given to closing gaps in the area of early childhood education, which is the basis for progress in future years. In this area, significant gaps still exist between Jewish and Arab localities in allocation levels. Generally speaking, neither the local authorities nor the residents are capable of bearing the economic burden of changing this situation.

Economic development is a key to lessening social and economic gaps; however, the pace of economic development in most Arab localities is exceedingly slow, and lags significantly behind that of Jewish localities. An agency will be established and charged with accelerating the pace of development in Arab localities, while combining governmental and municipal assistance with private economic initiatives.

We must act to promote the status of Arab women in all spheres of life, as well as to support working women, their rights and salaries.

WOMEN

Entrenched habits and prejudices are causing continued discrimination against women in the workplace. Changing this situation, and equalizing the economic status of women, is an important mission in and of itself, and an essential factor in equalizing the status of women in other spheres of life as well.

The law guaranteeing equal pay for men and women for equal work will be enforced, in the areas of salary, benefits and overtime. Women will not be discriminated against with respect to hiring, promotions, terms of employment and retirement.

Income tax credits for women will be abolished, as they are a distorted way of attaining equality, and they will be replaced by tax benefits for both members of young working couples; the solution to wage discrimination is guaranteeing equal pay, and not acquiescing in discrimination and rectifying it retroactively.

Single-parent families, with either a man or woman as head of the household, will receive the rights and benefits befitting their situation. Various benefits and child allowances paid by the National Insurance Institute will be paid to these families at higher levels and for more years than to regular families.

Places in day care centers and extended school days will be guaranteed, so that both spouses of working couples may work at full-time jobs.

Women should be encouraged to enter technological and high-tech professions, as they are the professions of tomorrow. The state education system will educate towards expanding spheres of interest, and universities will encourage choosing these professions. Professional training for women will be augmented as part of their professional development.

Entrepreneurship on the part of women will be encouraged by means of state-operated funds.

RETIREES

The retired public is a considerable population sector in Israeli society, and it is deserving of more attention, so that its standing, its rights, and its social and economic strength might be reinforced.

Meretz supports legislation of a national pension law. This law would apply to every citizen in a framework of basic pension insurance and guarantee a decent existence, proportionate to one's salary during one's career, one's old age, or in the event of death or disability. A special, government-funded arrangement will guarantee pensions for new immigrants that have not had time to become vested.

he incorporation of additional salary components in computing pensions will be guaranteed, in order to prevent a drastic drop in one's standard of living when one retires; and legislation will guarantee means of preventing the erosion of old-age allowances paid by the National Insurance Institute to low-income elderly.

Legislation will be passed for the monitoring of pension insurance agencies, placing them under appropriate public scrutiny.

The Welfare Insurance Law will be adapted to the changing needs of the elderly population and will guarantee real assistance for the needy, while shortening waiting times for those scheduled for welfare hospitalization.

There will be appropriate encouragement of public and private initiatives to construct senior citizens residences and small, protected apartments on lower floors for housing for the elderly, primarily the elderly with limited economic resources. There will be strict monitoring of senior citizens' living conditions in old-age homes, as well as of their treatment, in order to prevent instances of neglect, humiliation or abuse of the elderly.

Meretz played an active role in legislating the Senior Citizens Law, granting retirees significant discounts and reductions pertaining to a range of essential services; and it will now fight as well for reductions in fees and levies for retirees living on middle and low incomes.

YOUTH

Our youth are the next generation of Israeli society's leaders, industrialists, artists and scientists. Young parents are the educators of Israel's future generation. Realizing the potential latent in our young population will guarantee the future of Israeli society; the government, therefore, must take the requisite action to treat the problems facing our young people.

Young people and young couples, who are building their homes, are subject to tough pressures, primarily economic ones. Higher education, developing a professional career, pregnancy and childbirth, raising children, purchasing an apartment and paying off a mortgage all these pose not insignificant challenges for young people.

Society must and can help young people meet these challenges, especially by developing systems that will enable them to realize their full potential in various spheres. Professional and economic success is important to and for them and their children, and it is the basis of Israel's economic growth in the next generation. Therefore, assistance mechanisms for young people are an important investment in our society's future prosperity. We must guarantee that no young person capable of it should be denied a higher education for financial reasons; vocational education frameworks must be set up for young people after their military service; various methods must be employed to lower the prices of apartments for first-time home purchasers, to expand the system of assistance for buying apartments, and to make, in certain circumstances, mortgage payments tax-deductible, as well as to encourage the construction of rental apartments at affordable prices; we must encourage the construction of day care centers, thus enabling both spouses of working couples to go to work, and help young parents pay the cost of day care for their children.

THE KIBBUTZ MOVEMENT

The kibbutz movement is worthy of special recognition, constituting as it does a way of life that confronts the challenge of maximal integration between individual liberty and social and mutual responsibility. The kibbutz movement's presence in all areas of the country Ñ and its agricultural, educational, social and industrial challenges Ñ represent a vital contribution to the shaping of the Israel's image.

The kibbutz movement is now at a crossroads, but it is in this new reality, that the kibbutz has a chance and a direction. In this era of advanced technology, communications and information, the ability of the kibbutz to adapt itself to technological innovations and to apply them successfully gives it a competitive advantage economically; and its communal form of organization and years of experience in self-management are apt for the needs of a modern economy.

In an era of peace, when the problems of society and the economy will more and more become the focus of political struggles and social aspirations, the kibbutz, by virtue of its modes of cohesiveness and sense of mutual responsibility, is likely to serve as a vital model for emulation by Israeli society.

OUTLYING AND DISTRESSED REGIONS

A legitimate nation is concerned for the well-being of its inhabitants and about improving the quality of life in all its regions. Outlying regions, distanced from the country's economic and cultural centers, have understandable difficulty in enjoying equally the possibilities available to inhabitants of the center of the country. In other regions of the country as well, there are localities and neighborhoods that, over the years, have fallen into relative inferiority; and this inferiority perpetuates itself, because of the flight of strong populations to other places.

Making equal opportunity a mandatory objective is especially important for these regions, and their advancement is a national mission of the highest order, demanding active and prolonged involvement on the part of the central government.

The most effective way to promote the interests of outlying and distressed regions, although not an easy or quick way, is by developing infrastructures physical, educational, and others Ñ that will enable the populations in these regions to attain achievements comparable to those of the rest of the country.

Disadvantaged regions distressed localities and poor neighborhoods need significant economic and management assistance in order to overcome their problems. Localities that have given up on themselves need assistance in continuing education and vocational training under special conditions that will enable them to regain vital self-esteem. Comprehensive housing and employment solutions are essential for from preventing the flight of young and educated people and preventing economic and emotional harm to veteran workers who have been fired from their previous places of employment.

The development of a national transportation infrastructure, and primarily a network of highways that will enable inhabitants to work in technological centers in other localities, would give impetus to economic growth of the economy in general, and of the outlying areas in particular. The development of sophisticated industries, based more than anything on expertise and know-how, would enable outlying areas to compete with relative ease, if they contain sufficiently large concentrations of population and possess convenient access to supply and marketing.

Transforming rural towns into educated and cultured communities, which enjoy modern health and welfare services and high environmental quality, will attract new residents, primarily young people, as do the prestigious suburbs in the center of the country. In this context, we must give decisive priority to raising the standards of education; it is also possible to promote, with relatively small but significant budgets, culture and the arts in outlying localities.

Sport and Recreation

Meretz considers physical education and sports to have social, cultural, and national qualities, which can be used to develop and nurture physical and sports activities to ensure better health and quality of life, and a harmonious personality.

In modern life, people need leisure time, and seek to derive interest and satisfaction from it. Israel society is actually now on the threshold of the leisure era, in which people,s recreational activities determine the nature of society and the quality of individuals, lives. In this context, it is important to vary and balance recreational activities and to engage in creative and active pursuits, including physical activity.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

School is the place where children are given an equal chance of being exposed to and trying out physical and sporting activities, in order to enhance their ability to recognize a range of activities and their values, and to adapt patterns to activity and physical and sports behavior to themselves.

In all sectors, the quota of study hours devoted to physical education must be maintained, and should be expanded to three weekly hours for all grades, to be taught by teachers specializing in physical education and sports. In order to ensure the quality of physical education, high priority in allocating development resources will be given to reducing significantly the lack of appropriate sports equipment in the schools themselves or as facilities shared with the community and a sufficient number of specialist teachers will be trained in all sectors.

Parallel to physical activity, the physical education programs in schools will emphasize the principles of health and correct and efficient movement, the basics of hygiene, and respect for others as basic values of society in every context of sporting activity. Basic choice in physical activity adapted to the ability and inclinations of each student will be emphasized, and every school will be given the possibility of expressing its outlook in its study program, in cooperation with parents and the community.

The School Sports Federation, which was set up under Meretz, is an important means of encouraging sports activities among children and young people. The Federation must work towards realizing all its goals, especially the provision of physical education and sport programs for the school community, including some on a non-competitive basis.

The Sports Authority, which is responsible for the promotion of physical education and sports in Israel, must continue to allocate funds to the different branches of sports and to the federations and voluntary organizations according to relevant and egalitarian criteria, while maintaining complete equality for sports in the Arab and Druze sectors and in women's sports. The Authority will fund and aid the development of popular sports, research on various aspects of sports, a healthy lifestyle, and the distribution of teaching and study resources for the welfare of the inhabitants of Israel.

SPORTS AND MANAGEMENT OF SPORTS INSTITUTIONS

Meretz sees cultural and international importance in encouraging competitive and representative sport in Israel and will work to allocate national resources to encourage sporting activities and institutions which will realize the national potential in competitive sport.

Meretz will work for the deepening and assimilation of the principles of sports hygiene, and will encourage patience and tolerance, by publicity campaigns and methodical education as well as the establishment of appropriate standards and their enforcement.

The criteria for allocating funds from the Council for the Regulation of Sports Bets will be regulated in a law or in ordinances, which will take account of the number of people active in each branch and its popularity, achievement level, geographical location, and ability to raise money from alternative sources of funding, with an emphasis on women's sports, sports for children, sports for the disabled, and sports for the severely handicapped. Local authorities will also aid non-profit sports associations and activities according to public and egalitarian criteria.

Support will be increased for the management and independent ownership of the competitive sports leagues as independent non-profit associations, in the framework of the sports centers or other voluntary frameworks, according to their decision. The support funds will be transferred to the associations through the centers or directly to the associations, according to each association's preference.

Just like the musician or artist, the athlete is a free person, who develops his or her talents in the framework of the sports leagues. Athletes contribute to the league and can choose another league, according to their preference or agreements freely signed between them and their league.

Meretz will work diligently to draft regulations for the Sports Law, while adapting them to the varying needs of sports and society. If need be, Meretz will work to change the law, as is necessary in an open and dynamic society.

LEISURE CULTURE AND ACTIVE RECREATION

The present state of physical activity in Israel is not satisfactory. After a period of tolerable physical activity at school and during military service, most Israelis do not engage in any form of regular physical activity, and the standard of their quality of life and health suffers.

In order to encourage physical activity among adults, a prolonged publicity campaign should be held in the mass media to promote physical awareness, physical activity programs should be developed in the community centers, and centers for active recreation should continue to be set up. Special emphasis will be given to activities with enduring value, and to activities adapted to different age levels.

Environment

Preservation of the environment has a far-reaching effect on the quality of our lives, our health, and our life expectancy. Meretz upholds the basic right of every individual to live in a healthy and well-balanced environment. It is the state's obligation to look after the environment and natural resources, and to prevent damage to and destruction of ecological systems, while preserving the correct balance between their components. Development must take place subject to these rules, for our sake and for the sake of future generations, who will live in a restored, clean, and healthy environment.

Since its establishment, the State of Israel has opted for the path of development and economic interests, with considerable damage to the environment as a result. The result Ñ rivers of sewage, mountains of refuse, contaminated and contaminating groundwater, industrial pollution, air and noise pollution, major damage to the value of nature and the landscape, and the loss of open areas to wasteful development and thoughtlessness.

Under the leadership of Meretz, which has recognized the overriding importance of environmental considerations, the attitude towards the environment has changed: Public awareness of environmental problems has increased and practical action is developing.

By shifting its priorities the government has been able to increase environmental budgets. Under Meretz there have been important achievements in removing environmental hazards, preventing new problems, preserving open spaces, protecting flora and fauna, reviving Israel's streams, reorganizing and expanding the Environmental Authority and establishing environmental units in the Arab sector for the first time. Meretz will ensure that the environmental budget is increased, strive to make environmental considerations an integral part of the decision-making process and ensure that the State of Israel acts consistently to protect and restore the environment.

Striking a balance between economic development and environmental protection requires cooperation between all sectors of the economy, private and public. Appropriate forms of production and consumption should be introduced in order to promote environmental protection while guaranteeing a decent standard of living for all sections of the population in this generation and in the generations to come. Sustainable development means economic development which pays attention to the need to prevent wastage of environmental resources land, water and air and to reduce pollution, waste and environmental hazards and dangers, adopting an integrated perspective of long-term needs.

Nature and the environment pay no heed to national borders. The peace process pursued by the Israeli government and §Meretz is enabling a solution to be found for regional environmental problems through cooperation between the nations and peoples of the region. We shall continue to develop our work in this field by expanding and deepening joint activities with our neighbors in order to protect the Mediterranean, the Gulf of Eilat and the Dead Sea. We will open joint parks and nature reserves, develop common projects to protect the birds who fly over the region, foster joint solutions for water and sewage problems with the Palestinians and put a stop to the pollution of streams and underground water to the benefit of both peoples. We will use shared environmental concerns to improve the neighborly relations between Israel and all her neighbors in the East and the West.

Meretz made the environment a key national priority, and will continue to act in this field in order to ensure a better and more beautiful future for Israel and for the peoples of the entire region.

LAND RESOURCES

Land is a vital and limited resource which must be treated with caution and protected zealously. The pressures of development and construction on the one hand, and the dearth of open spaces on the other, make it essential to provide a balanced solution for construction needs and for the need to protect the landscape of our homeland. We will act to introduce and implement a national policy of sustained development in order to preserve the landscape and land resources, based on cautious and efficient use of these resources. Underground space will be used for oil and gas storage and for service and transport tunnels.

Meretz sees the preservation of open spaces and the landscape as a key value in its environmental approach. On the basic of this deep commitment, Meretz has acted over the past four years to enhance public awareness of the importance of open spaces, adopting a responsible approach to land resources. Numerous open spaces have been rescued from oblivion and renewed, including the large dune in Ashdod, the winter pool in Netanya and the craters in the south.

Open spaces are important as green lungs' providing quality of life and leisure opportunities for all sections of the population, preserving the quality and quantity of underground water and promoting the flora and fauna of Israel. The status of open spaces and agricultural land will be strengthened, and they will be provided with a statutory planning status in development plans and in appropriate legislation, as we did in the case of the Sharon Park and the forest and afforestation areas, which have been granted a binding legal status.

In order to preserve open spaces and the value of nature and the landscape, preference will be given to the development of existing towns and the intensification of construction in built-up areas. We have prevented the construction of new towns in the center and north of Israel, such as Eiron in Ramot Menashe and the proposed town of Sha'al in the western Galilee. In order to prevent development pressures made on open space and landscape in central Israel, Meretz will act to divert resources to the south of Israel, developing land reserves and environmental access. We will work to increase mobility to and from the south by providing rapid rail transport and improving the existing road system.

TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT

Transport is one of the main causes of pollution in Israel in general, and in the Tel-Aviv metropolis in particular. Combined with the grave shortage of land and open spaces in central Israel, this means that efficient, compact and non-pollutant transport solutions must be found.

Meretz will prioritize the development of public transport, working in the government to establish a public transport system combining a suburban rail system, urban and inter-urban trains, buses and mass transit facilities, at the expense of and as a preferred alternative to the development of new roads.

We will work to develop and implement a program to improve the existing road system, taking into account the unique conditions in Israel and values of nature, the landscape and the environment. Within this framework, the Trans-Israel Highway (Route 6) will be reconsidered, including an examination of the need for the road, its size, the different sections, the intersections and alternative options. We will not allow the construction of the Trans-Israel Highway in its current format, which will serve solely to increase transport pressure on the Tel-Aviv metropolis and increase environmental pressure such as noise and air pollution in central Israel.

Ben Gurion Airport creates serious noise pollution for the residents of the surrounding areas. The development plan for the airport for the 21st century not only fails to provide for any improvement, but would add tens of thousands more homes to the circle of those negatively affected by the airport. Meretz will act to halt night-time flights to and from the airport, as has become common practice in developed and enlightened countries. We will work to promote the establishment of a complementary airport at Nevatim, south of Beersheva, thus enabling reduction of the environmental pressure on central Israel, while promoting the development of Beersheva and the northern Negev. Development of Ben Gurion Airport will be restricted, and will take into account the environmental consequences for residents of central Israel.

We will encourage and promote the improvement of transport fuels, including a transition to the use of low-sulfur and high-octane gasoline with additives in crude fuels that limit the emission of pollutants into the air, and the use of clean fuels in public transport.

INDUSTRY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Industry is the most vital and central component of Israel's economy, strength and prosperity. Industry must adapt itself to modern environmental requirements in Israel and around the world, repairing the damage done to the environment in the past by factories, and the damage still being done in some cases.

Industrial factories which prove unable to stop polluting the environment will be obliged to close. Physical and environmental pressure on space, as well as over-crowding, public demand and the environmental approach all demand that each factory and industry amend its approach and its actions in the environmental sphere. Polluting factories cannot pollute remote or peripheral areas the residents of these areas and the local flora and fauna also have environmental rights which must be protected.

Under the leadership of Meretz, there has been a revolution in industry's attitude to the environment. Wide-ranging governmental support and financial incentives have been provided to encourage the removal of environmental hazards, the introduction of innovative clean technologies and the use of environmentally-friendly raw materials. Enforcement measures against factories which fail to comply with environmental standards have been intensified, and damage to open areas has been prevented by requiring factories to adopt innovate technologies and move from over-crowded to less densely settled areas.

Industry will be subject to progressive environmental standards requiring the use of the most modern and economic technologies available. Particular emphasis will be placed on reducing hazards in Haifa Bay, Ashdod and Ramat Hovav.

We will continue to promote the establishment of complementary infrastructure facilities for industry, enabling professional and coordinated treatment of pollutant products, along the lines of the incinerator for dangerous organic waste at Ramat Hovav and the industrial sewage purification plants.

Under the leadership of Meretz, an integrated national system has been established from scratch to deal with dangerous materials. Supervision of industrial plants and of the movement of dangerous waste to Ramat Hovav has been intensified. Meretz will continue to act to promote, expand and consolidate a professional approach in all relevant industrial fields.

The supervision of land-based sources of sea pollution will be intensified, and plants will be required to adopt land-based technologies for processing pollutants. Meretz will not let the Mediterranean Sea become a polluted pond.

SOLID WASTE

Over decades, the failure to deal with solid waste in Israel has led to the pollution of the underground water, damaged the environment, wasted precious land resources and led to economic losses due to the absence of recycling and the inefficient collection, disposal and burial of waste.

Under the present government, and thanks to Meretz, there has been a revolution in the treatment of solid waste in Israel. Approximately 180 sites have been closed down and the level of maintenance of the remaining sites has been improved enormously. A program for the establishment of national waste disposal sites has been approved, and implementation has begun.

Meretz will implement the integrated program for processing solid waste by providing economic incentives for local authorities, and by establishing national waste burial sites, promoting the establishment of regional garbage incinerators, increasing the use of recycled materials and recycling, and improving and limiting waste volumes. The convoluted government system for dealing with waste will be re-organized under a single roof and made more efficient, and we will act to provide financial incentives for recycling plants and for local authorities in return for reducing the quantity and volume of waste and transferring this waste to national sites.

In Israel, waste (and solid waste in particular) poses a threat to the underground water and to the quality of the air. The absence of recycling leads to wasted resources and unnecessary use of land for disposal sites. An integrated solution should be adopted for the waste problem, based on the immediate implementation of the key waste disposal sites program and an insistence on high-quality maintenance.

Dangerous materials and pesticides cause damage to the environment and to humans. It should be ensured that these materials are stored, transferred and used in the safest possible manner. Meretz will act to reduce use of pesticides, encouraging the use of integrated pest control based on monitoring methods.

In order to prevent mass disasters, Meretz will act to develop an integrated system for dealing with accidents involving dangerous materials, based on personnel training and maximum cooperation between all the relevant bodies.

ISRAEL'S STREAMS

Over the years, environmental neglect, exploitation and the disposal of industrial and urban waste have turned IsraelÕs streams into channels of sewage and filth. Enough is enough! These streams are a source of life and a location for leisure and vacationing in nature. We will make them flow with fresh water once again, serving as a source for beauty and renewal.

Under Meretz's leadership, the Streams Authority was established and a plan developed to revitalize Israel's streams. Work to remove polluting agents from streams was begun; budgets were allocated, and activities launched to rehabilitate the Yarkon, Hadera, Alexander, Harod, Kishon and Dalia streams.

The Pele project to rehabilitate the Lakhish stream in Ashdod has been completed, and work is now continuing upstream.

The rehabilitation of the streams and springs is a linchpin of Meretz's environmental policy. This direction will be continued and intensified by uniting forces in the field; ensuring that proper budgets are provided for rehabilitation; involving local authorities to take responsibility and begin implementation; acting vigorously against those who cause pollution; and rechanneling sewage to organized systems, with controlled allocation of appropriate quality liquid waste to the streams.

The rehabilitated streams, together with environmental development along the banks, will form the basis and the infrastructure for parks and green areas benefiting all residents, and helping in the renewal of natural flora and fauna.

SEWAGE AND WATER QUALITY

In Israel, water is a finite resource subject to severe fluctuations. Correct management of IsraelÕs water, combined with sophisticated and professional treatment of sewage in order to make it fit for use and to prevent pollution of the surface and underground water sources of the State of Israel, are an essential condition for preserving the quality of water, developing Israel and ensuring that we do not become dependent on others.

The Sea of Galilee and its drainage basin are Israel's main water resource, leading and balancing the national supply of drinking water. Preventing a decline in the quality of the water in the Sea of Galilee Ñ and indeed improving its quality is an important national requirement. All development around the Sea of Galilee will be halted pending completion of a study to examine its capacity to sustain development. Financial means will be provided to promote the removal of polluting agents from the lake, and grants will be given to those who remove waste. Over-pumping of the coastal aquifer will be prevented in order to stop the process of salination.

The readily-available potential of high-quality waste water will be increased, enabling its use for agriculture, urban landscaping, industry and the rehabilitation of streams. An eastern waste water transit pipe will be laid to remove waste from sensitive areas to areas in the south where there is agricultural growth and demand. The national water and sewage plan will be completed and its implementation promoted. Meretz will act to re-organize the bodies involved in promoting solutions for sewage in Israel, and will group these bodies together under the authority of a single ministry.

AIR QUALITY

Air is polluted as the result of industrial, agricultural and transport activity, injuring our health and causing grave damage to the environment.

The use of low-sulfur fuel in power stations and energy-consuming industry should be increased, and the installation of air purifiers for industrial chimneys and power stations should be required. Industries will be encouraged to make the change to the use of natural gas and clean energies, and the process of reducing sulfur levels in fuels for industry and transport will continue, as has become accepted practice in the advanced nations of the world.

The national monitoring system will be expanded, and a clean air law will be passed. Emission standards will be enforced rigorously, including more frequent use of individual orders for polluters, and the imposition of fines against polluting cars to serve as a deterrent.

PROTECTING THE COAST AND THE SEA

IsraelÕs coast is a limited resource which faces severe pressures. Unchecked development along the coastline and the adjacent area, the release of pollutants into the sea and the construction of maritime buildings have a disastrous and irreversible impact on the sea and the coastline. Meretz will not agree to the establishment of marinas along the Mediterranean coast. The coast belongs to the general public, and we will not allow a few wealthy individuals to spoil the coastline and prevent Israelis from exercising their right to enjoy the sea and the beaches.

A national policy will be developed to conserve, develop and manage the beaches, coastline and sea. The establishment of marinas will be restricted. National planning programs will be promoted and approved for the beaches of the Mediterranean, the Sea of Galilee and the Gulf of Eilat, in order to ensure sustainable development along Israel's coasts.

PRESERVATION OF ECO-SYSTEMS

Israel is situated at the meeting point of three continents, and has thus been blessed with a wide range of fauna and wild plants, including some unique and rare species.

Meretz will act to accelerate the process of declaring nature reserves and national parks, to protect biological variety in Israel, to rehabilitate animal populations at risk of extinction or already extinct, and to adapt the economy so that the animal world can survive and develop alongside humans.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Education to promote a love of nature and the environment is a basic condition for fostering public awareness, developing a cadre of highly-trained professionals, taking personal and public responsibility for the environment and inculcating the subject in all areas of life.

It is important to continue to integrate curricula related to nature preservation and the environment in the formal education system, in the IDF and in the informal education system. Additional resources and study hours should be allocated for this purpose. Support for non-governmental organizations such as the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel will be increased, particularly the efforts to enhance and improve their educational activities.

Curricula, training and tours will be developed to provide an encounter with nature for the disabled.

THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION

The right of citizens to access information relating to ecological hazards will be guaranteed, as will their right to see these hazards removed and to receive compensation for damages.

ENVIRONMENTAL ADMINISTRATION

An environmental administration with power and budgets, functioning as an effective and centralized body, rather than in a decentralized manner, will enable environmental processes to be accelerated, as well as providing financial savings, professional efficiency and the provision of integrated responses to needs.

Under Meretz, the Ministry of the Environment has gained a prominent status among the Israeli public and the government. The ministry's budgets were increased significantly, it was re-organized and additional positions and professional personnel were introduced. The Nature Reserves Authority was brought under the auspices of the Ministry of the Environment, strengthening those who preserve nature and the environment.

In order to implement its environmental policy, Meretz will strive to strengthen the Ministry of the Environment as an independent ministry with substantial budgets and extensive powers, so that it can serve as a key agent in the planning system in Israel, with the goal of balancing development trends and environmental considerations. Environmental bodies such as the Water Commission, the Hydraulic Service, the Water and Sewage Projects Promotion Authority, the Meteorological Service and the Maritime and Lakes Research Institute will be transferred to the Ministry of the Environment.

Under Meretz's leadership, ten Environmental Units were established in Arab, Druze and Bedouin local authorities. We will continue this trend, strengthening the units and expanding their areas of control and their powers.

The Environmental Administration in the municipal authorities, local government and the private and agricultural sectors will be expanded.

Additional resources will be allocated to environmental units, and their powers to act independently and professionally will be enhanced.

The network of enironment Supporters and Animal Supporters will be expanded as part of the environmental education effort, in order to promote personal involvement and environmental enforcement.

Meretz will act to strengthen the status, authority, budgets and functioning ability of the nature preservation, animal and environmental organizations. The Nature Reserves Authority, the National Parks Authority and the Antiquities Authority will be merged into a single body.

Meretz will seek to introduce environmental considerations into all levels of the decision-making process. An environmental economy will be introduced in order to provide incentives for the economic system to act in an environmentally-friendly manner. Resources will be made available for research and practical inter-disciplinary development in environmental and ecological subjects.

The policy of international cooperation should be continued, and Israel should act in keeping with the international conventions which we have signed, such as the Barcelona Convention, which prohibits the pollution of the Mediterranean and requires the removal of pollutants currently being channeled into the sea. We will adopt environmental standards related to the protection of environmental resources, and ensure that these are enforced.

We will act to inculcate environmental administration and environmental management in industry, agriculture and government ministries.

ANIMALS

Every animal has the right to live in tranquillity, free of pain, hunger and suffering, in a loving and friendly environment, and in conditions which meet its natural needs, according to its species and the environmental conditions.

Meretz will act to intensify education promoting a love of animals and developing a sense of responsibility and fairness towards them, alongside increased enforcement and more severe penalties for those who abuse animals.

The destruction of stray animals will be prohibited. Controlled sterilization and castration to reduce animal populations will be introduced as a mandatory method by law, with state financial support.

The poisoning of animals to control rabies will be prohibited, and the oral vaccination method will be adopted, as in enlightened countries.

Meretz will act to establish shelters for stray animals in every town with a population of more than 20,000, according to law and with government support enabling decent operation and management. In settlements with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants, appropriate arrangements will be made for the affiliation of the locality to a neighboring local authority which has a shelter for animals.

Experiments on animals will be controlled, thus ensuring that they will be carried out only in authorized scientific research frameworks intended for vital medical needs. Due attention will be paid to the conditions in which the animals are held and to the need to reduce suffering.

The use of live animals in shows and circuses will be banned.

Meretz will act to ensure that the hunting laws are enforced vigorously and that injuries to wild animals are stopped. Foreign workers who are found engaging in illegal hunting of wild animals, or killing dogs and cats for food, will be expelled form Israel and their employers will be prevented from continuing to employ foreign workers.

Barriers on new roads will be adapted to facilitate the passage of animals.

Cosmetic treatment of animals involving the cutting of body tissue will be prohibited. The clipping of ears and tails and the uprooting of nails will be outlawed. We will act to increase state support for animal welfare organizations.