Opposition parties in the Israel Parliament last night attacked the government’s food rationing and distribution system as “bureaucratic and inefficient” as debate on the government’s food policy was resumed. The religious parties appealed for a halt in the import of non-Kosher meat.
Replying to the debate, which was begun last week, Minister of Agriculture Pinchas Lavon defended his policy, insisting that in the present situation of continuing immigration and expanding production Israel cannot have an absolutely free economy He said that all planning possible was being done as far as food policy was concerned He admitted that mistakes had occurred in the distribution system, but insisted that they had been rectified.
Replying to criticisms of trade relations with Eastern European countries, he agreed that some of the trade pacts, notably those with Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, had not been completely fulfilled. This, he said, was because the countries concerned were unable to sell Israel goods it needed, not because of pressure from the West. He pointed out that the Rumanian and Bulgarian treaties had been completely fulfilled. The Polish pact was only 42 percent fulfilled, the Czechoslovak pact, 30 percent, and the Hungarian agreement, 50 percent, he disclosed.
Replying to Orthodox critics, the Minister said non Kosher meat had been purchased at half the regular price at a time when the nation was suffering from an acute meat shortage. It seemed unfair to deprive the non-Orthodox portion of the population of meat supplies, he continued.
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