Bill would benefit Arab IDF veterans

Bill seeks to “create social justice and fairness towards those who choose to serve.”

By LAHAV HARKOV
An IDF soldier stands guard at a check point near the Lebanese- Israeli border, in October 2014 (photo credit: REUTERS)
An IDF soldier stands guard at a check point near the Lebanese- Israeli border, in October 2014
(photo credit: REUTERS)
New legislation seeks to have the government prefer minorities who served in the IDF when hiring workers.
The proposal by MK Moti Yogev (Bayit Yehudi) states that Druse, Beduin, Muslims, Christians, immigrants from Ethiopia and others, who served in the IDF or civilian service, will be beneficiaries of affirmative action, over minorities who did not serve the country.
The bill’s explanatory portion states that: “There are minorities in the State of Israel who choose to tie their fates to that of the country and dedicate their best years to serve in the IDF or civilian service, in many cases making great social and family-related sacrifices.
Some face discrimination in the area where they live and some face violence and incitement only because they choose to serve the State of Israel and integrate in it.”
In light of that, the bill is meant to help such people and their integration in greater Israeli society, and seeks to “create social justice and fairness towards those who choose to serve,” the legislation states.
The proposal has support from MKs in Likud, Kulanu, Shas and Yesh Atid, as well as right-wing NGO Im Tirzu, which sponsors the Knesset Caucus to Promote and Encourage the Enlistment of Minorities, which is led by MKs Miki Zohar (Likud) and Merav Ben-Ari (Kulanu), a cosponsor of the bill.
Im Tirzu director-general Matan Peleg said “strengthening and encouraging minorities working to integrate in Israeli society is a condition for Israel’s continuing existence as a Jewish-Zionist and democratic state.
“Therefore, we must create true incentives for those serving in the IDF and civilian- national service... as opposed to those calling for isolationism and war against the State of Israel,” Peleg said.


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