Jerusalem – Bayit Yehudi: Reward Those Who Serve In The Army

Jerusalem – Rather than force Arabs and the ultra-orthodox to enlist in the IDF or civilian service, they should be encouraged to do so by increasing benefits for those who serve, according to the Bayit Yehudi’s plan released Tuesday to promote equality in the burden of national service.

The party’s plan is titled “if they give, they will receive,” based on a quote from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s first term referring to the Palestinians. This time, however, the words refer to all Israeli citizens.

“In the next government, we need a new social agenda, which better rewards those who carry the burden in order to encourage service,” the party explained. “We are taking an existing benefit that the country gives as part of [university] tuition to over 100,000 students, and redistributed it so that those who contribute to the state will be recognized, and those who do not will get less help.”

According to the Bayit Yehudi plan, which was presented on the party’s website and via a YouTube video, frameworks for haredi and Arab IDF or civilian service will be expanded.

Those who do not serve will have to pay NIS 20,000 per year of university tuition, as opposed to the current rate for government-supported universities and colleges of about NIS 10,000. Those who serve will receive a larger government subsidy for their tuition and pay NIS 5,000.

The plan also includes benefits for those who serve 10 days or more of reserve duty per year, including further tuition subsidies, a monthly NIS 110 tax break and a monthly NIS 150 subsidy for day-care for reservists’ children.

In addition, those who served will receive preference in employment in academia and government jobs as well as public housing.

The Bayit Yehudi says the benefits they offer can reach NIS 55,830 in a reservist’s lifetime, and that their plan does not involve budget expenditures.

The party also mentioned that the rights and benefits for those who did not serve because they are handicapped will not be harmed.

Yisrael Beytenu pointed out similarities between their plan, proposed last spring, and the Bayit Yehudi’s plan, even posting a graphic on Facebook that the party created in July 2012 with the text “if they give, they will receive.”

“We are delighted to see that a few days before the election, the Bayit Yehudi has decided to adopt the program of Yisrael Beytenu on the issue of equalizing the national burden,” a party spokesman said. “The passing of such a program and bill requires a very broad and strong [ruling] party, which is why we must vote Likud Beytenu.”

According to the Yisrael Beytenu’s 2012 plan, which was voted down in the Knesset, anyone who serves in national or civilian service will receive full rights and benefits, equal to those who served in the IDF. Civilian service will be administrated through the Prime Minister’s Office and under his direct supervision.

Those who do not serve the state may not receive any grants or payments from the government, “in order to prevent those who dodge service from relying on funding from the government, so they will have to earn a living,” according to the legislation’s subtext.

Esawi Freige, fifth on the Meretz list, said “there are many population groups in Israel that contribute to society, and a few groups, first and foremost the settlers, that the state contributes to them all the time.”

According to Freige, Israeli Arabs who work and pay taxes deserve benefits from the government “long before the settlers who empty the state budget and do not contribute to it.”

Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post