IDF Disabled Veterans Group Accuses Finance Ministry of Trying to Cancel PTSD Recognition for Thousands
The IDF Disabled Veterans Organization has sharply criticized the Israeli Finance Ministry for attempting to revoke recognition of thousands of IDF veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The organization responded to a document circulated by the Finance Ministry disputing the recommendations of the Mor Yosef Committee, which was established by Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to develop a comprehensive national response for wounded IDF and security forces personnel.
The veterans group highlighted that the Finance Ministry was fully involved in the committee's work, signed off on its recommendations, and initially hailed them as a "historic revolution." However, during the implementation and budgeting phase, the ministry has sought to backtrack on its commitments. The organization revealed that during committee discussions, the Finance Ministry pushed measures that would have severely harmed the rights of wounded soldiers, including an attempt to cancel the official recognition of thousands of PTSD-affected veterans, which would have stripped them of essential treatment and rehabilitation support.
These harmful proposals were blocked thanks to the firm opposition of committee members, the Defense Ministry, and the Disabled Veterans Organization. The group stressed the severity of these attempts amid a growing number of wounded veterans. As of May 2026, the Rehabilitation Department is treating approximately 87,000 wounded individuals, including about 31,000 with mental health and PTSD challenges.
The organization called on Finance Minister Smotrich to honor the commitments he signed and to promptly approve the necessary budgets to fully implement the Mor Yosef Committee's recommendations. These include transforming the Rehabilitation Department into an independent authority, assigning a personal contact to each wounded veteran, automatic granting of entitlements, and significantly expanding support for mental health sufferers. Since the outbreak of the "Sword of Iron" war, over 25,000 new wounded veterans have been registered, with about half under 30 years old, 64% reservists, and 62% facing mental distress. Official projections estimate the total number of treated veterans will reach 100,000 by 2028.
