Bennett's party proposes 'Servicemen Law' with benefits for reservists and veterans

Naftali Bennett's Together party submitted its first bill to the Knesset, offering expanded benefits for reserve and discharged soldiers, including daycare subsidies, utility discounts, and extended tuition funding.

The 'Together' party led by Naftali Bennett submitted its first bill, the 'Servicemen Law', with the swearing-in of the 26th Knesset. The proposal seeks to grant extensive economic benefits to reserve soldiers and discharged soldiers by changing budget priorities and redirecting funds from households that do not participate in service and employment. At the heart of the proposal: a monthly subsidy of 4,000 shekels for an active reservist for daycare, a 50% discount on electricity, water, property tax, public transportation, and fees, and authorization for the government to provide a discount on purchasing a first home. For discharged soldiers, it proposes extending the eligibility period for academic tuition funding to five years (six in engineering, medicine, and architecture) and allowing funding for a master's degree, as well as providing for the first time funding for half the tuition for non-combat soldiers. The party's announcement did not specify the budgetary cost or funding sources. Bennett stated that the goal is to place those who serve at the top of the national priority list.