Knesset panel OKs bill to double soldiers’ grant

The bill was a condition of Israel Beiteinu’s acceptance of the Trajtenberg Report on social change.

By LAHAV HARKOV
IDF female soldier, camoflage_311 (photo credit: Reuters)
IDF female soldier, camoflage_311
(photo credit: Reuters)
The government grant for those finishing IDF and national service will soon be doubled, according to a bill that was approved for its second and third (final) readings by the Knesset Labor, Welfare and Health Committee on Wednesday.
The legislation proposed by MK Moshe Matalon (Israel Beiteinu) will raise the grant for combat soldiers who served three years in the IDF to NIS 20,000 – more than double the current amount. Grants for non-combat soldiers and those who did national service will be raised proportionately to the length of their service.
The grants will increase gradually over the next four years.
The bill, which is likely to become law on Monday, was a condition of Israel Beiteinu’s acceptance of the Trajtenberg Report on social change.
“This is an additional step towards fulfilling our obligation to citizens that serve the state,” Matalon said. “I hope that in the coming weeks the law will pass its final readings, so that the State of Israel will properly respect its sons and daughters that carry the burden.”
Israel Beiteinu has attempted to pass numerous bills and policies that would benefit those who serve in the IDF and national service.
Last week, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced that he opposed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s proposal to fund free education for young children by cutting budgets of other government offices.
Lieberman suggested that only families in which both parents work and served in the IDF, or national service, should get free early childhood education so that they can pay for it through taxes and service to the country.