Blue and White, Yisrael Beytenu agree on pension raises for elderly, disabled

The Blue and White and Yisrael Beytenu parties end a coalition negotiation meeting after many hours, saying in a joint statement that their talks on basic guidelines for a potential unity government have yielded understandings on several issues.

The parties, led respectively by Benny Gantz and Avigdor Liberman, say that according to agreements, the next annual budget would feature a minimum monthly pension increase for the elderly to 70 percent of the minimum wage. The budget would also not interfere with a plan to raise stipends to people with disabilities.

The statement adds that both parties’ negotiation teams will meet again in the coming days.

Such a unity government would also require a coalition deal with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud, with whom no progress has been made in negotiations.