Regev: Rock-throwers’ families should lose National Insurance benefits

“Rocks kill. It cannot be that murderers and their families will get NII benefits from the government," Likud minister says.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Updated: SEPTEMBER 21, 2015 00:46
Miri Regev (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Miri Regev
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
The families of those who throw rocks and Molotov cocktails should no longer get National Insurance allowances, Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev proposed Sunday.
Regev presented to the cabinet her initiative, which would take away all NII allowances – such as unemployment, pensions and work-injury payments – from terrorists and the families of minors who commit acts of terror including rock-throwing and launching of firebombs.
“Rocks kill. It cannot be that murderers and their families get NII benefits from the government. The Government of Israel must ensure the family of Alexander Levlovitz that their taxpayer money will not fund families of rock-throwing terrorists,” Regev said, referring to the 64-year-old man killed last week, after his car was stoned in Jerusalem’s Armon Hanatziv neighborhood, while driving home with his two daughters from a Rosh Hashana celebration.
Regev explained that punishments for minors who commit crimes are very limited, and terrorist organizations take advantage of that and convince children to be violent.
As such, her proposal would require parents to take responsibility for their children’s terrorist acts.
“The situation in Jerusalem has become serious and dangerous,” Regev stated. “We must take severe measures of deterrence.”
The minister said the “farce,” in which residents who harm Israelis and Israel then receive government support, must come to an end.
Regev’s call follows a pledge by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week “to use all necessary means” to “combat stonethrowers, those who hurl Molotov cocktails and those who detonate pipe bombs with the aim of harming police and civilians.”
Regev called for all Zionist parties in the opposition to support the bill, saying “There can be no compromises in fighting for Jerusalem’s security.
Whoever harms our sovereignty and quiet will pay a heavy price from every aspect.”
MK Miki Zohar (Likud) submitted a bill on Sunday to the same effect and said making parents responsible for their children’s actions is part of the fight against terrorism.
“Throwing rocks is terrorism and leads to serious wounds and death, and the punishment must be appropriately severe,” he stated. “In order to stop the terrorism of rocks, we must stop funding terrorists’ families and prevent parents from receiving NII allowances as a deterrent.”
Last year, the Knesset passed a law proposed by now-Tourism Minister Yariv Levin taking away NII benefits from Palestinian terrorists who were released in deals, as opposed to on parole, for the amount of time they were supposed to be in prison.