After marathon discussions (plus threats, a municipal strike and at least one resignation), the Israeli cabinet approved a new budget on Wednesday.
What caught my eye? A proposal to add sales tax to fresh fruits and vegetables.
Unfortunately, the Israeli dietetic association is small and politically powerless. It's not likely that we'll lobby against this tax in the Knesset. And produce consumption is probably not high on the list of the Health Ministry's concerns.
But something else caught my eye.
Televised footage of the budget talks showed Netanyahu popping something into his mouth. And it wasn't candy or a cookie. It was a grape. In fact, our government leaders were sitting around a table set with bottled water and platters of fresh fruit and vegetables!
I was impressed.
Is this the end of biscuits, bourekas and Tapuzina (orange soda)? Are our leaders trying to set a nutritional example?
Kol hakavod to whoever's serving healthy food instead of junk at government meetings. But it doesn't make a whole lot of sense: Why encourage people to eat fruit and vegetables and then slap a tax on them?
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