Official Inquiry: Transfer of 2025 Subsidy Funds

August 3, 2025

To: Council Chairman Mr. Eli Abutbul

Inquiry: Transfer of 2025 Subsidy Funds

At the plenary session on July 1, 2025, the agenda item “Approval of Subsidies for 2025” was discussed. During the discussion of this item, I requested clarification, and the following was recorded in the minutes: “I request clarification regarding another item in the Council’s budget that is designated for Maccabi—is this not considered a subsidy?”

The minutes note that the council chair responded, “We are now approving subsidies that have been approved by the Subsidies Committee.” The council head’s full remarks begin at 1:30, during which he effectively prevents me from asking questions or receiving answers on the matter, thereby preventing me from asking whether there is a risk of double funding or funding without criteria.

Grants are a welcome thing for youth movements, sports organizations, and other non-profits. At the same time, the requirements of the law and procedures must be met, and grants must be distributed solely according to the criteria. According to these criteria, grants are provided only based on equitable criteria approved by the full council, as was done at the aforementioned council meeting.

However, it is unacceptable for an organization to receive funding based on the criteria and, in addition, for a separate budget clause to be activated that grants funding only to a specific organization and for specific sectors without including them within the framework of the criteria approved by the plenary. Due to concerns regarding this situation, I requested clarifications and explanations regarding this action at that meeting; these requests were not answered.

The following is the inquiry:

1. According to which criteria will item no. 1765000821, “Sports Support in the amount of 120,000,” be allocated/has been allocated

when the notes for this item list Maccabi Football and Basketball.

1. Why not include all sports associations that meet the requirements in the distribution of this support from the funds of budget item 1765000821?
2. Has budget item 1765000821 been implemented, i.e., has money been transferred to the Maccabi Association as indicated in the item, and was it only for the sports branches specified in the notes to the budget item?

Note: I am attaching several relevant documents to this inquiry to clarify the background.

Plenary Session 1.7.2025 Budget Support Approval Item

Breakdown of 2025 Budget Items (Relevant Items)

In addition to subsidy item 1765000820 in the amount of 640,000, there is another item, 1765000821, which did not exist in previous years and is titled “Sports Subsidies in the amount of 120,000 NIS,“ and according to the notes in the budget book, it is designated for support of Maccabi soccer and basketball

For the purpose of approving the general subsidies section, a detailed report of the Council’s Subsidies Committee minutes was submitted to the plenary members for a total of 663,800. Attached to the minutes is a document detailing the proposed subsidies according to criteria.

Sincerely

Dr. Limor Zar Gutman, Esq.