According to Minister of Welfare & Social Services (Likud) Chaim Katz, over NIS 400 million intended for Holocaust survivors was not transferred to them, permitting the state to save the money. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, 6 Nissan, Katz explained there are an estimated 20,000 survivors who have yet to actualize the benefits they are entitled to, amounting to about NIS 100 million. According to Katz, this is due to the “indifference of government bureaucrats”, adding he believes about 50% of the survivors are living under the poverty level and they are severely neglected by the various state agencies responsible for their care.

“It is bizarre to me that the Welfare Minister is incapable of assisting these people” he told reporters in Tel Aviv, insisting the state saved NIS 400 million at their expense.

The cost of the program to actualize the rights of the survivors is estimated to be NIS 128 million annually.

It is reported there are 4,193 survivors in the programs over the age of 90 who don’t receive old age benefits. An additional 3,281 survivors have only received partial payment of the funds they are entitled to and another 5,963 survivors are entitled to move from requiring moderate assistance to requiring maximum assistance. An additional 14,063 survivors are yet to receive a discount in their electric rates as entitled.

The minister explained it was his father who established the organization to assist survivors of Auschwitz, in 1953, but today there is a lack of information and data to permit assisting may who are entitled to state aid. He explains in some cases the Holocaust organizations refuse to release data to his ministry of Bituach Leumi “under the ridiculous claim of protecting their privacy” he adds.

He had harsh words for the unit in the treasury responsible for caring for survivors for he accuses the unit of not working with other agencies and ministries to the detriment of the survivors. This unit he feels is holding back data, keeping the information closed and therefore, other agencies cannot assist the elderly survivors today. “The push of a single button could prevent the theft of NIS 400 million” he exclaimed.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)