From the Liveblog of
Monday, December 4, 2023
Knesset advances bill to fully fund scholarships for combat soldiers
Carrie Keller-Lynn is a former political and legal correspondent for The Times of Israel
The Knesset advances in its first reading a bill to fully fund scholarships for combat and underprivileged soldiers, as part of the broadly popular “MeMadim LeLimudim,” or “From Uniforms to Studies,” tuition scholarship program.
The program is currently a 75% tuition scholarship, increased from 66% in 2022 as part of a political compromise.
The program was originally funded by private donors and intentionally left a self-funded portion in order to encourage commitment among scholarship recipients.
Funding shifted to the Defense Ministry in 2022, and the program briefly became a political football, as various political factions pressed for their own interests alongside a debate on how to fund the program.
