(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 6 January 2013):

1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the following remarks:

"Last week, I visited the security fence that we are building on the southern border. This visit took place on the day we completed the long section, hundreds of kilometers, between Kerem Shalom and the area around Eilat.

The result of building the fence is that we have completely stopped the entry of infiltrators into Israel. In the past seven months, no infiltrators entered Israel's cities. Several dozen reached the fence each month and were taken to holding facilities. Not one infiltrator reached any community or city inside Israel.

This was one of the largest engineering enterprises in the history of the State of Israel and I have directed that this team not be disbanded, but that it continue until the section in the area around Eilat is finished, which will occur in another few weeks, and even continue work along other borders, especially our border with Syria. We intend to erect an identical fence, with a few changes based on the actual territory, along the Golan Heights. We know that on other side of our border with Syria today, the Syrian army has moved away, and in its place, Global Jihad forces have moved in.

Therefore, we will defend this border against both infiltration and terrorism, just as we are successfully doing on the Sinai border.

I also submit to the Cabinet the fact that the Syrian regime is very unstable, that the question of chemical weapons here worries us and that we are coordinating our intelligence and readiness with the US and others so that we might be prepared for any scenario and possibility that could arise.

The second topic that I would like to raise at the start of our meeting is the activity of Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat and her ministry over the past four years. This activity has been wide-ranging and has brought about results for the State of Israel, including the periphery.

In the framework of our action to cancel the word 'periphery', Minister Livnat has done much for the Negev and the Galilee, has changed the customary pattern that everything is concentrated in the center, between Hadera and Gadera, or even between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem."

Minister Livnat made the following remarks:

"In brief, we have carried out very many actions. In the State of Israel in general, there is a tremendous number of both cultural appearances and consumers of culture.

The people of Israel are consumers of culture. Even though our culture budget is not large, in this term it has grown considerably and it is the largest budget ever; but let there be no misunderstanding, it must be increased. My goal, in this term, was for the periphery – and I mean the Negev, the Galilee and Judea and Samaria, which have been out of the picture to a large degree – to really enjoy cultural activities, and to create culture in those areas.

I will note one item. From 2009-2012, the culture consumption grew by almost 250%, from NIS 1.14 million to NIS 2.8 million. This is a huge, unparalleled increase. We devoted special resources to this. The Government devoted special resources and I see this as a great challenge that we met. Of course, we must continue."

2. Pursuant to Article 7 of the 1989 Capital Investments Law, the Cabinet appointed Nahum Itzkovich as Director of the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry Investment Center in place of Chezy Tzaig.

3. The Cabinet approved the appointment of an inter-ministerial team on an arrangement for treating individuals with autism in Israel.

4. Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat briefed ministers on the activities of her ministry.