Opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday expressed his opposition to demands for returning the monthly child allowance payments as is being demanded by Shas.

The former prime minister told an educational forum hosted by the teachers union that if he returns to office, his highest priority will be education, explaining he views education as the road to closing the gap which exists between segments of society.

While there are things to do towards assisting children and larger families, “the child allowances may not return. We mustn’t permit them to return,” he stated, promising that if elected as prime minister, he will personally oversee education reforms that are so badly needed to bring the desired results.

It was the Netanyahu administration that eliminated the monthly child allowance payments.

The next speaker was Education Ministry Director-General Shulamit Amichai, who lashed into the opposition leader, reminding him that in his capacity as finance minister, he left the education ministry in ruins.

She added that after seven months in her current post, she is still working to undo the damage caused by Netanyahu as finance minister.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)