Military service for all, Finance Ministry: Zelekha unveils economic plan, slams Netanyahu

Prof. Yaron Zelekha, leader of the Reservists-Economic Party, vowed on Thursday to slash Israel's cost of living in a press conference in Modi'in. Criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he claimed the prime minister's attacks stemmed from fear that his economic policies could have been more affordable over the past two decades.

Zelekha asserted that Netanyahu had sold the economy to monopolists and extortionists, and pledged to reclaim control. He challenged Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to an economic policy debate, stating that politicians indebted to campaign financiers would struggle to address the cost of living.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Zelekha threatened to topple any government that obstructed his economic reforms, promising to take charge of the Finance Ministry and the Competition Authority during coalition talks. He insisted on implementing his economic program, regardless of the next prime minister. Over the next three months, Zelekha outlined a five-point plan to reduce living costs by boosting competition and removing barriers to imports.

His proposals include eliminating all tariffs, removing import quotas, and preventing monopolistic domestic manufacturers from also acting as importers. He also committed to banning exclusive import agreements and preventing a single major international manufacturer's importer from gaining control over imports from another competing manufacturer.

Zelekha assured The Jerusalem Post that he would transfer the Competition Authority to the Finance Ministry, placing it under his supervision for competition law enforcement.