JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel’s Cabinet approved nearly $59 million worth of economic benefits for the southern city of Sderot and the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip.
The assistance for 2012, approved on Sunday, is designed to strengthen the local economy, assist and support residents in light of the security situation, and boost employment in the area, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Among the benefits are tax credits of 20 percent; $2 million in assistance for psycho-social support for residents, especially children, through five centers operated by local authorities; and $1.7 million in day care subsidies.
More than 20,000 people live in Sderot, which has been targeted by hundreds of rockets fired from Gaza for more than a decade.
