Protest by representatives of the families of the abductees in the Knesset after 150 days since October 7/Ziv Barbi
The Labor and Welfare Committee today approved the payment of monthly wages to the abductees retroactively since 7/10.
The committee, chaired by MK Israel Eichler, approved the details of the agreement on the subject between the Ministry of Finance and the National Insurance which defines a monthly compensation in addition to wages for the abductees. According to the agreement, abductees will be entitled to a monthly compensation that will be a substitute for their salary. Abductees who did not work will be entitled to the minimum compensation of NIS 7,000 per month. At the committee's request, the wording was amended so that it would also include abductees who have passed retirement age, even if they did not work prior to the abduction.
The grants will be transferred directly to the abductee's own account and will be calculated based on the average of the abductee's reported income to the National Insurance in the three months preceding the date of the abduction. It is also stipulated in the agreement that the compensation, which will be based On the TATR model (reimbursement of medical care), it will not be less than about NIS 7,000 for the aforementioned individual and about NIS 9,000 per month for an individual who is a parent of children.
The maximum reward will be about NIS 49,000 per month.
The agreement will be valid until August.
Yael Goren Hezekiah from the director of the returning missing abductees and their families at the Ministry of Public Security, explained: "In the beginning we gave uniform grants to the families and as the time of the abduction lengthened in a way that we did not expect, the goal was to give the excess salary commensurate with what the abductee earned on the eve of the abduction, with the understanding that his obligations were in accordance .
The deferment law expired at the end of February and was not extended, so payments started to drop.
Those who have returned so far will receive a retroactive tax return from October 7th.
Attorney Roni Neuver, Head of Legislation and Policy, the General Custodian, said that "this is not a theoretical need.
The accounts of the abductees continue to be processed and liabilities continue to decrease.
There were people who came back and discovered that they were in a significant overdraft and that needs to be taken care of."
The families of the abductees in today's debate: "We are acting according to the concept that the abductees will definitely return"/ Knesset spokeswoman, Noam Moshkowitz
The agreement does not include kidnapped soldiers, who continue to receive from the IDF the compensation they were entitled to as part of their service. According to an IDF representative who was present at the hearing, the salary of regular soldiers is NIS 2,000-3,000 a month.
During the discussion, the committee demanded from the IDF to compare the amount of compensation for the kidnapped soldiers to the minimum compensation for the kidnapped non-soldiers, which as mentioned stands at about 7,000 shekels
. .
This needs to be taken into account, the soldiers must receive at least the minimum set by the state." MK Gilad Karib: "I understand that the rationale is a change in salary, but it does not make sense that two groups of abductees would be formed. This is not a large group and it is not a question of great damage to the defense budget." .
The IDF representatives undertook to bring the matter before the relevant authorities and clarified that in any case the payment to the kidnapped soldiers will be made through the IDF and not through the agreement and the National Insurance.
The chairman of the committee and the members of the Knesset clarified that the committee will stand by its decision that the soldiers receive the minimum compensation and that if this is not settled, the members of the Knesset will promote private legislation on the issue.
Merav Leshem Gonen, Rumi's mother and a representative of the headquarters of the families of the abductees, said that "we are acting according to the concept That the abductees return for sure and we fight for their rights to exist later."
Shimon Or, the uncle of Avinatan Or, who was abducted in Gaza: "The most exciting thing here is that the abductees are treated as living people who have to maintain their normal agenda. The one who takes responsibility for the people is actually the one who will receive the responsibility and the power to receive them back. Take care of their salary, allow For them to pay their payments, that's how we should treat the abductees in Gaza."
More on the same topic:
abducted
Gaza war
War of Iron Swords
The Labor and Welfare Committee
Israel Eichler