Defense Ministry unveils expanded discounts, benefits for IDF reservists

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and the head of the IDF’s Personnel Directorate, Yaniv Asor, announce a new package of discounts and benefits for military reservists, for which NIS 200 million ($55 million) per year will be allocated — 15 times the current amount — according to the Defense Ministry.

Referring to it as “fixing a historic injustice,” the ministry reveals additional discounts on entertainment and goods (doubling the budget for this from NIS 16 million to NIS 32 million), partial subsidies of kids’ summer camps (NIS 1,500 per family) and more discounts on electricity bills (from 5% to 15%) and property tax (from 0% to 10%).

However, the annual grants currently given to the 130,000 reservists won’t be increased.