New housing eligibility regulations being approved today by the Israel Lands Administration steering committee, are a significant blow to the chareidi tzibur, giving additional eligibility points to IDF veterans and removing eligibility points for larger families.

The new Israel Lands Administration criteria approved by Housing Minister (Shas) Ariel Atias’ office now place an emphasis on families in which the husband and/or the wife have served in the IDF or national service. Families with over three children are no longer viewed as being a priority, and if two families apply for a eligibility and government perks, both having the same number of children, the one who served in the IDF will get the housing unit. In addition, if both men served in the IDF and in one of the families the wife also served, that family will win the apartment, even over another family with more children. The number of years being married does play in as a major factor.

The new regulations were presented by the minister to the Israel Lands Administration, and the changes in favor of IDF veterans are the result of mounting public pressure. As a result, veterans can now earn 30 points for their service instead of the maximum of 20 under the previous system. Atias was compelled to turn regulations around and when he was singled out for ignoring recommendations of the Trachtenberg Committee, it appears he was left without an alternative, changing the eligibility rating system which many view as being discriminatory in favor of chareidim as it stands today. It appears that a growing public outcry against policies viewed to cater to chareidim at the expense of IDF vets have compelled change.

Financial experts explain other changes, such as favoring employed families over unemployed is not because of pressure of against any sector, but the recommendations of various committees of experts that studied the situation and made their recommendations to the government.

The number of years a couple is married weighs in heavily, and with the shift in IDF points from 20 to 30, the formula now moves from 20/80 to 30/70. Having 5, 6, 7, or more children is no longer relevant, previously a determining factor towards many chareidim getting government subsidized homes.

The Trachtenberg Report, which was accepted and approved by the government, places an emphasis on military service as well as employment, citing a minimum of 125%, one partner working fulltime and the other a quarter position. This too will work against many chareidi families.

With Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beitenu party on the one side and chareidi parties on the other, whatever the final outcome will be, the decision will undoubtedly spark a coalition crises.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)