A plan to fight violence and other crimes against elderly citizens is being presented to President Shimon Peres today (Monday).
Minister for Pensioners Affairs Rafi Eitan will present the proposed legislation at the President's request, after the latter expressed concern over a wave of recent attacks on elderly Israelis.
Just today, three males, aged 19-22, were indicted on charges of having followed an elderly woman in Haifa, robbing her and beating her. Her arm and teeth were broken in the attack. The prosecution has asked that the three be incarcerated until the end of the legal proceedings agains them.
An annual crime report presented to the government on Sunday indicated that violent attacks on the elderly increased by 20 percent since January 1, 2007, with 481 more cases than those documented in 2006. Many of the attacks were carried out by family members and caretakers, police said. Other attacks were carried out by young criminals who saw the elderly as an easy target.
There was also good news in the report. Police Chief Lt. Dudi Cohen noted there was a drop in property offenses against Israel's senior citizens. Serious theft was down by 20 percent, petty theft was down by 4 percent and the number of cases of assault and battery that took place during a theft was down by 18 percent.
The Eitan initiative includes more severe punishment of criminals, installation of tens of thousands of distress buttons in senior citizens' homes, and beefing up the array of social workers in cities hardest hit by violence.
The plan is estimated to cost some NIS 6 million, and will first operate as a pilot program in several selected cities.