The Knesset’s Labor and Welfare Committee on Monday passed, on second and third readings, a bill that would limit National Insurance Institute payments to convicted terrorists.
The bill, which is expected to pass in the Knesset plenum soon, would cut in half the NII payments for unemployment, disability, old age, work accidents and more for Israeli citizens convicted of terrorism and sentenced to 10 years or more in prison.
Yisrael Beiteinu MK David Rotem, the bill’s author, had originally aimed to cut all NII payments to all convicted terrorists, but said that the MInistry of Justice ordered changes to the bill.
“Citizenship means loyalty,” Rotem said after the committee debate on the bill. “So, this absurd practice, in which the State of Israel pays, from our own pockets, to those who have harmed and murdered Israeli citizens, will cease.”
In 2001, Israeli citizen Muhammad Shaker Habeishi blew himself up at a train station in Nahariya, killing three and wounding dozens more. His family received thousands of shekels in NII payments each month thereafter.
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition
by email and never miss our top stories
By signing up, you agree to the
terms
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
