Aviv Geffen and Netanyahu agree on coronavirus aid for artists
The two agreed on the package at a meeting with Finance Minister Israel Katz and Culture and Sport Minister Chili Tropper.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFIsrael musician Aviv Geffen, acting as a representative of Israeli artists, and Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet to discuss aid for Israeli artists during the coronavirus pandemic.(photo credit: AMOS BEN-GERSHOM/GPO)
Israel musician Aviv Geffen, acting as a representative of Israeli artists, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed on an aid package for Israeli artists struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.The package will also set up a NIS 40 m. fund for municipalities to fund performances. This fund will be in addition to NIS 24 m. that is left in a fund from 2020. The aid package will also allocate six million shekels for artists who are in distress following the coronavirus pandemic.The two agreed on the package at a meeting with Finance Minister Israel Katz and Culture and Sport Minister Chili Tropper."The solution we are proposing today is NIS 70 m. for performances," said Netanyahu. "The culture world, which is one of the closed sectors, will be the first to enjoy the green passport program [that will give those vaccinated the ability to return to work]. From now on we should say we are a vaccinated generation," Netanyahu went on to say.Geffen said that during the meeting with Netanyahu he "laid out all of the problems of the culture world that was first to be shut down and is suffering a lot both financially and with low morale.""I was happy to find listening ears and an immediate solution, that will be implemented in the coming days." Geffen went on to say of the meeting.Geffen expressed his excitement at the Israeli coronavirus vaccination campaign, saying that "despite the fact that some artists around the world were compensated much more quickly and with more money, creating a lot of anger in the streets, it is important to say for the sake of being fair, that Israel will be the first place in the world where artists will perform and the crowd will be able to attend performances.
