Israel cancels tax on sweetened drinks
AFP | Jerusalem
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Israel's far-right finance minister yesterday cancelled a recently imposed levy on sweetened beverages in a bid to reduce household expenses, raising concern among health experts.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he signed the order scrapping the tax "ahead of Passover and as part of the battle against the high cost of living."
Passover begins next week and the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the measure later Tuesday.
The tax has been in place since early last year, introduced by the previous administration of Naftali Bennett.
It imposed a one shekel (28 cents) tariff per litre of beverage containing more than five grams of sugar for every 100 millilitres of liquid.
Hagai Levine, chairman of the Israel Association of Public Health Physicians, said cancelling the tax was "medically, financially, socially and publicly irresponsible".
It is "a huge gift" to soft-drink manufacturers at the public's expense, Hagai tweeted, encouraging people to drink water instead.
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