From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Knesset advances tax benefit bill for West Bank settlements
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAriela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
The Knesset votes 37-33 in favor of a first reading of a bill granting additional tax benefits to settlements in the West Bank deemed to be facing security threats.
The bill will now move to the Knesset Finance Committee, where it will be prepared for the two additional votes it must pass to become law.
The bill proposes adding a new security threat criterion to the existing formula for determining eligibility for tax breaks. Eligible settlements will get a 25% boost in tax benefit points, according to the bill, similar to those offered to residents of Israeli border towns.
Proponents of the bill argue the change corrects an existing gap, noting that while some West Bank settlements are officially recognized as facing security risks, that factor has not been taken into account when determining tax benefits.
The Times of Israel Community.