Israeli Welfare Minister Pulls Disability Services Bill Amid Fierce Debate

After four years of efforts, the Israeli Knesset and the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services have failed to advance a crucial law aimed at protecting the rights of people with disabilities. Minister Haim Katz withdrew the proposed regulations on Monday, just moments before a vote by the Knesset's Labor and Social Welfare Committee. The legislation sought to guarantee the right of individuals with disabilities to live independently within the community, reducing reliance on group homes, and to upgrade welfare services for all disability types.

The bill also aimed to expand personal choice through tailored support and shared decision-making, requiring a framework for assessing support levels and adequate budgeting. However, the process stalled due to a deep dispute between the ministry and committee members, particularly concerning the inclusion of individuals with mental health conditions.

The ministry proposed that individuals with mental health conditions receive services from the Ministry of Health under existing legislation, while most committee members opposed their exclusion from the new disability services law. Ministry legal counsel Tzipi Bar Levav defended the ministry's stance, stating they were not demeaning any population but ensuring services reached the intended recipients within the law's budget. She explained that Minister Katz supported the professional opinion of the ministry and withdrew the regulations when it became clear the committee intended to vote despite the unresolved dispute.

Knesset Committee Chairwoman Michal Waldiger vehemently criticized the minister's decision, calling it "callousness, abuse of power, and violence." She expressed shame over the event, stating there was "no excuse." The withdrawal leaves the regulations in limbo, with uncertainty about when they might be reconsidered or if the dispute over services for individuals with mental health conditions will be resolved.

The Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services issued a statement condemning what it called a "budgetary hijack" by the committee chair during the Knesset recess, arguing that including individuals with mental health conditions in this law would divert billions of shekels intended for the broader disability community. The ministry vowed to oppose any attempt to cut resources allocated for people with disabilities.