Deputy Minister Gamliel. Trying to ease up on young people
Photo: Gila Gamliel
Combat soldiers in training. Will they move to Galilee?
Photo: AFP
PM authorizes giving land to soldiers released from combat units
Benefits for IDF officers receive serious boost on Prime Minister Netanyahu's okay. New plan grants 250 sq meters (about 2,690 sq ft) to every combat soldier on condition that he moves to Negev or Galilee
After three long and exhausting years of daily battles, it is no simple task to go out into the civilian world, which is not always ready to greet you with open arms. However, for released IDF soldiers, this landing is about to become much softer and much more pleasant. Every soldier released from a combat unit who chooses to live in the Negev or the Galilee will received land from the State – for free.
The program, which was drafted by Deputy Minister for the Advancement of Young People, Students and Women Gila Gamliel, received support from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The initiative stipulates that the State grant to every soldier who completed his service in a combat unit 250 sq meters (about 2,690 sq ft), a perk worth between NIS 100,000 to NIS 150,000 ($27,000 - $40,000)per plot. This is on the condition that the soldier chooses to live in a town included on a pre-set list, which will include mainly expansions of community villages, moshavs, and kibbutzim.
The plots will be handed over without payment and free of development costs.
Options are currently being explored to run a pilot program that is slated to be carried out over five years. The Prime Minister's Office, which will fund half the project, has already allocated a budget for the pilot. The rest of the funding will be provided by the Housing Ministry to towns included on the list.
Because a budget has already been allotted to the project, there is no need for it to pass in the cabinet.
According to the plan the first plots will be allotted, for the construction of some 1,000 housing units, to combat soldiers who are also active reservists and contribute to the IDF between the ages of 25 and 30.
Gamliel, who met to discuss the issue with the chief reservist officer, plans on turning to the brigades and battalions with the hopes that fighters in their ranks will organize to settle together in these towns.
The new plan is the direct continuation of the government bill put on the table by Gamliel together with Netanyahu that was recently passed to grant one free year of tuition to released soldiers who seek to pursue an academic degree at an institute of higher learning in the Negev, the Galilee, or the West Bank.
"This is another important tier in the strategic plan for promoting young people and released soldiers who have contributed to the State that was presented to the cabinet a number of months ago," explained Deputy Minister Gamliel. "Everyone knows that the element of housing is significant and central burden among young people. Our goal is to make it easier as much as possible."
The prime minister said that this is a very important initiative. During a discussion of the issue, Netanyahu insisted that the plots be granted only to combat soldiers in quality towns.
