Israeli parliament passes reforms to aid disabled army veterans
Veterans to receive more funding for medical vehicles and rent
An aid reforms package for disabled veterans of the Israeli army, proposed by the country’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman, was approved by the Knesset on Sunday.
The reforms would allow disabled IDF veterans to receive additional funding to buy medical vehicles or change their current transport, as well as receive specialized apartments and help with rent, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Following the vote, Gantz thanked members of the Knesset for “improving the quality of life” for the veterans and “strengthening their stability.”
"We are not forgetting for a moment that this reform begins with the treatment of disabled veterans, improving the entry point and lessening the bureaucracy, and we are working hard at leading the rehabilitation division together with the Disabled IDF Veterans Organization," he was quoted as saying.
The finance minister in turn pledged to continue working “with great resolution” to improve the quality of life “for those who sacrificed themselves for the State of Israel.” Liberman promised the One Soul reform “won’t remain as an unkept promise.”
One Soul is a program created to serve disabled veterans struggling to find support.
Earlier in March, an agreement was signed with Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, and Beit Loewenstein that will see Defense Ministry medical committees operate within hospitals to improve the quality of rehabilitation for those eligible for support and reduce the length of committee proceedings
Earlier in May, the Knesset passed the veteran bill that would subsidize the majority of academic scholarships for discharged IDF soldiers with the opposition accepting a compromise proposed by Gantz for the law to cover 75 percent of tuition.