The Knesset Labor, Welfare and Health Committee held a special session on Tuesday on an amendment to the Disability Law, which for the first time collects all the provisions and benefits relating to disabled Israel Defense Forces veterans and anchors them in legislation. The amendment was made following the demand of the State Comptroller and the Attorney General, who ruled that it is not possible that so many large sums of money are granted without a legal source of authority.
While many of the speakers said the amendment will protect, if not improve benefits, Member of Knesset Ofer Shelah (Yesh Atid) added, "I am not convinced that everything should be done in primary legislation, because then, if we want to change something in some grant, it will have to pass three readings in the Knesset." Others expressed concern that certain disabilities or classes of veterans were not covered by the amendment. Committee Chairman MK Allalouf made it clear that no right would be violated or frozen as part of the approval of the law. He announced that the committee would hold another discussion of the bill immediately after the end of the Passover break.