Tel Aviv [Israel], May 11 (ANI/TPS): The Israeli government on Sunday approved an NIS 3 billion (USD 840 million) benefits package for reserve soldiers in support for those serving on the front lines and their families, one of the largest single investments ever made in support of its reserve forces. The move comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Haredi Orthodox coalition partners issued veiled threats to trigger elections amid a deepening crisis over stalled legislation exempting Haredi yeshiva students from military service.
"Our reservists do everything for the country. We need to give them everything. Our rule is simple: whoever contributes to the country will be rewarded with compound interest. And that is what we did today -- in a series of very dramatic decisions, in billions of shekels," said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The plan includes wide-ranging economic and social benefits, including increased tax credits, grants for employers of reservists, discounted access to government housing programs, and special grants for discharged soldiers. Reservists will also receive a personal digital wallet for leisure and welfare expenses, valued at up to NIS 5,000 (USD 1,400).
Additional support includes aid for small businesses owned by reservists, assistance with admission to civil service roles, benefits for immigrant reservists, and prioritized access to government services.
"Reservists carry the burden of war on their backs, they and their families, women and children," Defense Minister Israel Katz said. "Today we took another step in promoting justice for reservists. We added another NIS 4 billion shekels [USD 1.1 billion] totaling NIS 20 billion [USD 5.6 billion] for aid -- not only for reserve soldiers, but for families, children, the wounded, and everyone connected to express our appreciation, to help them in a practical way."
In recent days, thousands of reservists received orders to report for duty ahead of a widely-anticipated expansion of fighting in Gaza.
The Shas and United Torah Judaism parties hinted over the weekend they would boycott Knesset votes. On Monday, the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee will meet behind closed doors, where committee chairman Yuli Edelstein is expected to press Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz over the growing strain on reservists.
Coalition tensions rose last week after military Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered a plan to issue thousands of new draft notices to haredim, following the renewed call-up of reservists ahead of expanded operations in Gaza.
Rabbi Dov Lando, spiritual leader of the United Torah Judaism's Degel HaTorah faction warned of "severe steps" if legislation exempting yeshiva students did not see "significant progress" by June 1.
But the legislation sought by the Haredi parties is expected to run afoul of the High Court of Justice's demand for equal application of the law.
Military service is compulsory for all Israeli citizens. However, Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, and the country's leading rabbis agreed to a status quo that deferred military service for Haredi men studying in yeshivot, or religious institutions. At the time, no more than several hundred men were studying in yeshivot.
However, the Orthodox community has grown significantly since Israel's founding. In January 2023, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported that Haredim are Israel's fastest-growing community and projected it would constitute 16 per cent of the population by the end of the decade. According to the Israel Democracy Institute, the number of yeshiva students exceeded 138,000 in 2021. (ANI/TPS)