It took just three days for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to walk back support for the five-year plan to develop the Arab sector advanced by the Likud’s own Minister of Social Equality Gila Gamliel. According to the program, which was approved at a special Cabinet meeting on Dec. 30, over the next five budgetary years, the Arab sector would receive a total of 15 billion shekels ($3.8 billion) to develop infrastructure, housing and construction, employment, education and public transportation.

Ever since her appointment to the post in March, Gamliel has attempted to convince Netanyahu, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Education Minister Naftali Bennett of the plan's importance. It isn’t easy to convince the ministers of the current right-wing government to vote in support of a program that grants comprehensive assistance to Israel’s Arab towns and villages, and certainly not in the amount of billions of shekels, which would likely reduce the budgets available for Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Along the way, Gamliel was able to win the support of President Reuven Rivlin, who feels a special affinity for efforts to improve conditions for Arab Israelis. She also harnessed the support of the civil equality association Sikkuy, which submitted its own ideas and recommendations on ways to reduce and close the gaps. She also held meetings with Arab members of the Knesset and various local council heads.

After countless expressions of reservations and three Cabinet meetings adjourned without a vote, Gamliel, Kahlon and Netanyahu finally agreed on a formula. As expected, it wasn’t easy to get the government to approve the plan. The ministers representing HaBayit HaYehudi made a point of being absenting from that meeting, because it was clear to Bennett, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel that it was not in their political interests to sign on to a plan that transfers money to Israel’s Arab citizens. How would they be perceived by their electorate if they did?