A Knesset committee has given the go-ahead to a proposed bill to reduce the Bituach Leumi (National Insurance Institute) benefits given to convicted terrorists. The bill was proposed by MKs David Rotem and Robert Ilatov of Yisrael Beiteinu.

“We must put an end to the absurd situation in which terrorists who assisted in carrying out attacks, or who carried out attacks against Israeli citizens and their families continue to enjoy equal status with those they harmed, with the State of Israel continuing to send money and benefits to their bank accounts,” Rotem and Ilatov said.

The bill would give the Minister of the Interior the power to strip some members of terrorists' families of their NII benefits as well. Relatives of terrorists would be given a hearing first, and would lose benefits only if they were found to have been connected to terrorism in some way themselves.

However, MKs Rotem and Ilatov stressed that children of terrorists would not lose their state benefits under the proposed law.

Two years ago, Israeli terrorists lost their right to a funeral paid for by the NII. Terrorists' survivors are not eligible for the stipends normally given to widows and orphans.

Other current proposals aim to strip terrorists in Israeli prisons of some of their benefits. In the meantime, the PA continues to pay a monthly salary to both PA terrorists and Israeli Arab terrorists.