The Cabinet discussed for 3-1/2 hours today the report of the Prime Minister’s Committee on Children in Distress and published a short and generally worded decision. The decision promised that all government departments would henceforth give priority to children from large families.
The report found that 169,000 Israeli children live in conditions of distress. It recommended that the government set aside more funds for this problem and that government departments concerned with the problem be reorganized. Cabinet sources explained that no reorganization could be contemplated so close to the elections.
Following 2-1/2 hours’ discussion on this topic last Sunday, the Cabinet has spent a total of six hours on the report which raised a nation-wide stir. But not all Ministers praised the report wholeheartedly. Some said it was not up to date and others said it ignored the positive work the government was doing in this field.
Today’s Cabinet decision stated that the Prime Minister’s office will set up a special youth section to coordinate and advise all efforts in this field by other departments. The section’s head will be Col. Baruch Levi, until now commander of the Gadna paramilitary youth organization. The decision also stated that a public committee of citizens and an advisory board will be set up to advise the government on problems of poor youth. The advisory board would comprise officials of all the relevant departments.
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