Knesset approves virus handouts for all Israeli adults

Knesset members pass into law a cash-for-all scheme championed by Prime Minister Netanyahu to help gin up the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Prior to the law’s passage in its second and third plenum readings, the National Insurance Institute says Israeli adults with children will begin receiving checks on Sunday. All other Israelis over 18 will get their payments at an unspecified later date.

Under the plan, single adults will receive a one-time payment of NIS 750 ($218). Couples with children will receive NIS 500 ($146) for each of their first four kids, with another NIS 300 ($87) from the fifth child onward.

Netanyahu and Finance Minister Israel Katz initially announced the payments would go to all Israeli adults. However, after the plan faced criticism for not linking the payments to income or whether someone was hurt economically by the government restrictions to contain the virus, it was agreed to exclude those making NIS 640,000 (approximately $186,000) per year. The grants were also initially limited to three children, but Katz agreed yesterday to increase the checks for large families after pressure from ultra-Orthodox and Arab lawmakers.