The Knesset's Labor, Welfare and Health Committee discussed a law proposed by Knesset Member Zevulun Orlev (National Union-National Religious Party) on Monday. The law would grant increased assistance to children who have lost at least one parent to terrorism.
Orlev's proposal would grant equal assistance to children who lost both parents to war or terrorism and those who lost one parent to terrorism and one to other causes. Currently, the former group receives more benefits. In addition, the law would extend certain benefits currently available to orphans until age 21 to age 25, and would grant financial assistance to families that adopted terror orphans and lost income as a result.
"This is an ethical and human problem of the first order,” MK Orlev said. “We're dealing with 50 orphans; this won't affect the Israeli economy.” Committee head MK Aryeh Eldad (NU-NRP) agreed, saying, “There are 50 orphans in Israel in an unbearable position, and this law will give them physical assistance in order to rescue them from financial and social crisis."
"How is it that we didn't do this already?” Eldad added. “This is an injustice that cries out to heaven.” The Knesset is sure to approve the proposal, he said, despite the Finance Ministry's opposition.
Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik attended the meeting and said the law would be presented to the Knesset in its current winter session, which is expected to end in just over one week. The Knesset session has been shortened due to the upcoming national elections, and only laws that do not face significant opposition will be brought to a vote.
David Bloch, the legal guardian of the six orphans of terror victims Rabbi Binyamin and Tali Kahane, expressed satisfaction at the fact that the proposal was being treated seriously. There are many other problems that remain to be addressed, he said, “but that will be fixed in the future.... What's been done in the meantime is also an achievement.”
Orphans who were present at the hearing criticized the Finance Ministry. “Ministry officials live under neon lights in the office and don't come out to see what's happening on the ground, how we live,” one said. “Nobody's trying to get rich off of state money, we just want to live with dignity.”