Knesset to pass bill to allow economic extensions for Israelis affected by war

The Ministers' Legislation Committee approved a bill proposed by Justice Minister Yariv Levin at National Unity's urging to give extensions on various payments like mortgages to soldiers, to people who were evacuated from the South, and to the families of kidnapped Israelis.

The bill does not include postponing child support payments or paying employees their salaries.

The people mentioned in the bill will now have an extra month to make these payments to protect them economically from the effects of Israel's war with Hamas.

In the next month, the Knesset will legislate further to allow this protection to continue in the event that the war lasts longer.

Bill to be voted on as soon as possible

The bill will now be voted on in Knesset as soon as possible.

"I praise Justice Minister Yariv Levin and the government of Israel for responding to our request to give economic protection to reserve soldiers, evacuees from the South, and the families of hostages," said National Unity MK Ze'ev Elkin. "I would also like to thank Foreign Affairs and Security Committee Chairman MK Yuli Edelstein and the committee's members who supported the initiative and pushed the government to take care of it quickly.

"Our duty is to economically protect the reserve soldiers who were called up to an ongoing war and give them peace of mind from the economic pressures weighing on them and their households. At the same time, the nation must also assist and economically protect the evacuees from the South and the families of hostages whose entire world collapsed in one moment."

A similar mechanism was put in place after the Yom Kippur War in 1973 to assist people economically affected by the war.