Israeli Welfare Law for Disabled Fails to Pass After Four Years

After four years of efforts, the Israeli Knesset and the Ministry of Welfare have failed to pass a crucial law aimed at protecting the rights of people with disabilities. Minister of Welfare Haim Katz withdrew the necessary regulations from the Knesset on Monday, just moments before a scheduled vote by the Labor and Welfare Committee. The law's objective is to ensure independent and autonomous living for individuals with disabilities within the community, reducing reliance on group living facilities. It also seeks to upgrade welfare services for all disability types and support levels, expand personal choice through tailored support, and foster public-private partnerships for new solutions.

The withdrawal followed a deep dispute between the Ministry of Welfare and committee members, particularly concerning the provision of services for individuals with mental health conditions. The Ministry proposed that these individuals receive services from the Ministry of Health under existing legislation for rehabilitating individuals with mental disabilities. However, the majority of the committee opposed excluding them from the scope of the new welfare law for people with disabilities.

Legal counsel for the Ministry of Welfare, Adv. Tzipi Bar Levav, defended the Ministry's position, stating that their aim is to ensure services reach the intended populations within the law's budget. She explained that Minister Katz supported the professional staff's stance and withdrew the regulations because the disagreement over the mental health population remained unresolved.

Chairwoman of the Labor and Welfare Committee, MK Michal Waldiger, reacted with anger, criticizing the Minister's decision as "callousness, abuse of power, and violence." She expressed shame over the event, which leaves the regulations in limbo after years of attempts to advance the law.

MK Adi Azulay countered Waldiger's criticism, arguing that while individuals with mental health conditions deserve tailored support, it should not come at the expense of the already insufficient budget for people with disabilities. She pointed to the previous government's efforts to pass the law and secure funding, urging Waldiger to seek additional budget from the Finance Minister instead of delaying the current legislation.

The Ministry of Welfare issued a statement condemning the "budgetary maneuver" during the Knesset recess, asserting that including individuals with mental health conditions in this law would divert billions of shekels intended for people with disabilities. The Ministry vowed to protect the allocated resources and prevent what it termed a "populist move."