Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced that millions of shekels have been approved for business owners and farmers harmed by protection rackets (extortion), saying the state stands behind those who refuse to pay. He also called on police, the prosecution, and courts not to neglect their duty in providing security for Israeli citizens.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Sunday that millions of shekels have been approved for victims of protection rackets, expanding on a cabinet resolution from earlier this month that allocated tens of millions for businesses harmed by extortion — a first-of-its-kind state compensation program. In a statement carried by a single source, Smotrich said the funds target business owners and farmers who refuse to yield to extortion demands, and simultaneously demanded that police, the prosecution, and courts not be negligent in providing security for Israeli citizens. The announcement follows the cabinet's approval on June 28 of Smotrich's resolution to compensate protection-racket victims, a policy framed as encouraging victims to refuse extortion with state backing. The exact scope of the new approval, its funding source, and the timeline for disbursement remain unspecified in the available report.
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