Disabled protestors block Highway 2
Dozens of disabled protestors block Highway 2 with vehicles in protest of the government's failure to raise monthly disability benefits to the same level as minimum wage.
The protestors arrived in some 20 vehicles before blocking traffic on the highway and exiting their vehicles. Police arrived at the scene and urged protestors to enter their vehicles and allow traffic to resume.
Protests by disabled citizens began anew last month after the government did not respond to calls to raise disability benefits to the same level as minimum wage.
According to the Prime Minister's Office and coalition chairman, MK David Bitan, in January 2018, the allowance for "severely disabled" persons (those defined as being at least 90% disabled) will be raised to NIS 4,000.
Those disabled persons who cannot work and live under the poverty line will have their benefits raised to NIS 3,200 per month.
Moreover, an additional NIS 4 billion will be implemented over the course of the next several years in the attempt to raise the benefits of all disabled persons to at least NIS 4,000.
Following the publication of the proposed plan, Chairman of the Israeli Human Rights Organization of People with Disabilities, Naomi Moravia, announced that she and her organization reject Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal and will escalate their struggle.
Currently, monthly disability benefits stand at NIS 2,342. Disabled advocacy groups are demanding benefits be raised to the equivalent level of minimum wage, which stands at NIS 5,000.
