A bill amending the Disabilities Law and increasing funds for car and housing aid for disabled Israel Defense Force veterans was approved on Sunday by the government and the committee for legislative affairs.The bill, proposed by Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman, was submitted to the Knesset and was set to undergo its first reading. In June, the Disabilities Law was passed to increase the independence of disabled Israeli citizens, giving them support systems and budgets so that they can live in apartments.
More One Soul reforms
Earlier on Sunday, a new IDF "One Soul" reform to ease to process for soldiers seeking disability status was announced by Prime Minister Yair Lapid at the beginning of a cabinet meeting. The reform will clarify the criteria for soldiers to receive disability benefits and regulate the bureaucratic process.
"The State of Israel has a massive moral debt to these people, and today we are returning a small party of this debt."
Prime Minister Yair Lapid
The new reform will cost NIS 100 million out of the NIS 900 million budgeted for the entire One Soul program.
Lapid thanked Liberman for his work on the matter, adding that "the State of Israel has a massive moral debt to these people, and today we are returning a small party of this debt.The One Soul reforms have been undertaken by Gantz over the last year, since the self-immolation of Itzik Saidian in front of a Defense Ministry building in protest of difficulties over getting disabled status and aid.As part of the reforms, multiple bills and amendments have been signed to increase eligibility for compensation, a 24/7 hotline has been established for those suffering PTSD and crisis houses have been developed for those suffering severe mental breakdowns, as well as other administrative reforms.