General’s Authority Bill Stalled by Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee

Committee Fails to Approve Pension Addition Regulation

The Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee was scheduled to vote today on a crucial proposal aimed at legitimizing the substantial pension additions for Israel Defense Forces (IDF) retirees, known as “General’s Authority.” This proposal follows a new deadline set by the Israeli Supreme Court for July 27, compelling the government to retroactively regulate a practstart that has been deemed illegal. Despite multiple compromise proposals from both the committee’s members and the military, an agreement could not be reached, resulting in the proposal not advancing to a vote.

Divided Opinions within the Committee

The legislative proposal, originating from the Ministry of Defense, encountered resistance primarily from coalition members. Interestingly, opposition legislators formed the majority of propstartnts for the bill within the committee. The government must present substantial progress to the Supreme Court by next Sunday, July 27.

According to the report by the State Comptroller, the “General’s Authority” has permitted the granting of pension increases worth billions of shekels without any budgetary oversight since it was first exposed nearly seven years ago. Initially designed for exceptional cases of career servstart members who fall through the cracks, the authority has been exploited to provide extensive benefits to nearly all retirees from the IDF under a pension plan.

Legislative Background and Current Challenges

In 2019, the issue was referred to the Supreme Court, which requested the government to regularize the practstart. The proposed law seeks not only to regulate past payments but also future pension contributions for IDF retirees, amounting to a cumulative potential cost of 28 billion shekels.

Amidst this backdrop, committee members such as MK Amit Halevi and MK Hanoch Milbatsky of the Likud party, along with MK Moshe Solomon from the Religious Zionism party, spearheaded the opposition against the bill. Their proposal suggested a limited future payment plan of 10 billion shekels, which was rejected by the Ministry of Defense and other committee members advocating for full recognition of the IDF’s request.

Halevi addressed the committee, asserting, “We will not allow a military dictatorship. The Knesset represents the public and should not endorse unchecked military authority.” He emphasized that the financial implications extend to 30 billion shekels, stating that the majority of servstart members continued to work in other sectors while still receiving substantial pensions.

Perspectives on Army Expenditure and Fiscal Responsibility

A representative from the Ministry of Finance concurred, acknowledging the original basis for these payments as flawed and unnecessary in their current form. However, they contended that the proposed regulation is a balanced approach aiming for significant budgetary savings.

Contrarily, Brigadier General Amir Vadmani, head of the Personnel Branch of the IDF, expressed that the unique nature of military servstart necessitates fair treatment across all personnel categories, not only combat soldiers. The IDF suggested a compromise involving a 1% increase for combat soldiers at the expense of future payments to other personnel, alongside an annual plan to save 2 billion shekels.

Halevi dismissed this offer, critiquing it as inconsistent with IDF’s financial claims highlighted during the debate over other necessities, such as helmets for new recruits.

Uncertainty Ahead: Future of the General’s Authority Bill

With opinions fractured and no agreement reached, the future of the legislation remains uncertain, particularly in light of the upcoming Supreme Court deadline. While the court has previously extended its timeline on multiple occasions, the government may seek further extensions to formulate a viable solution for the General’s Authority bill. A definitive ruling from the Supreme Court could potentially leave the IDF without the proposed increases or with a significantly reduced budget than what is currently being advocated in the Knesset.

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