Fifteen bills were passed late Monday night, in what most MKs thought were the
final hours of the 18th Knesset.
The bills were authorized in their
second and third (final) Knesset readings immediately after the proposal to
dissolve the Knesset passed its first reading, and while it was being discussed
in the Knesset House Committee.
Most of the new laws came from the
Knesset Economics Committee, Interior Committee and Labor, Welfare and Health
Committee.
The most controversial of the bills quickly passed on Monday
is one by Yisrael Beytenu MKs David Rotem and Robert Ilatov halving the National
Insurance benefits for anyone charged with a serious security crime, with
terrorist or nationalist motives, and served 10 years or more in
prison.
In addition, the monthly payments to handicapped Holocaust
survivors were increased by NIS 720-NIS 900, depending on income, as part of a
law by MKs Uri Ariel (National Union) and Moshe Gafni (United Torah
Judaism). The new legislation will benefit close to 8,000
people.
Another bill made the parole committee for a prisoner with life
sentence that was tried in a military court the same as someone in jail for life
who was sentenced by a civilian court.
A new law also passed that would
forbid age from being a factor in hiring practices in jobs that require a public
tender.
The Knesset also passed a law proposed by MK Ahmed Tibi (United
Arab List-Ta’al), which would require airlines to give passengers benefits if
flights are delayed for over two hours or canceled. After two hours, passengers
must receive food, drinks and free phone calls. After a delay of five to
eight hours, they receive a night in a hotel or a refund. The law will be valid
as of October.
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