Knesset passes law allowing military burials for firefighters and prison guards

Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

The Knesset enacts a law allowing firefighters and prison guards to be buried in military cemeteries, passing the bill through its final readings on Wednesday.

The legislation, which is approved 7-0 in the Knesset plenum, states that prison guards will be entitled to burial in a military cemetery even if they did not die as a result of their service, while firefighters will be granted to the same right if they die in the line of duty.

“The prison guards are also on the front line against those who seek to harm the security of the state and its citizens and work under conditions of severe stress,” the bill’s explanatory note says, equating prison guards to the country’s other security forces.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir welcomes the bill, stating that whoever saves lives deserves the state’s backing and pledges to “continue to work so that they get what they deserve.”

Yesh Atid MK Merav Ben Ari, one of the initiators of the bill, says now that the legislation has passed into law, she intends to work to “turn the fire and rescue service into a security body, part of the security system of the State of Israel.”

“We sent them to save lives and we will take care of them not only when they die but throughout their lives as firefighters,” she says.

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