Netanyahu, finance minister say they’ll extend unemployment benefits

Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Israel Katz say they’ve decided to extend unemployment benefits through mid-August for Israelis whose eligibility for the payments was set to soon expire.

“As part of this, eligibility for grants for those 67 and older who didn’t return to work will be extended. At the end of this period the continuation of the ineligibility will be reexamined in light of the employment data in the economy,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office says.

The statement says the proposal will be added to a bill currently making its way through the Knesset to speed approval of the benefits.

“This is part of the steps we’re taking taking to encourage the economy, look out for self-employed [workers] and the unemployed. People need something to earn a living from,” Netanyahu says in a video statement.