Why Israel Won’t Pay a Shekel to Citizens Stuck Abroad After ‘Rising Lion’
Finance Minister rejects special aviation compensation plan, leaving Israelis stuck abroad during the ‘Rising Lion’ military operation without any financial support, sparking outrage in the Knesset’s Economic Affairs Committee.
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The Knesset Economic Affairs Committee, chaired by MK David Bitan, continued its series of discussions on Monday in an effort to find a fair compensation framework for Israelis who were stranded abroad following the surprise launch of Operation “Rising Lion.”
Daniel Schwartz from the Finance Ministry’s Budget Department told the committee: “Following discussions, the Finance Minister has decided to oppose any compensation framework. The Transportation Minister has the authority to limit compensation to two days and can decide at her discretion.”
MK Bitan sharply criticized the decision: “Do you think it’s reasonable for the Finance Ministry to refuse to compensate anyone? What budgetary cost did you present to the Minister? Does the state bear no responsibility for citizens stranded abroad? You compensate employees and the entire economy, but not the airlines and citizens who were stuck?”
Israel Civil Aviation Authority head Shmuel Zakai said: “The Minister’s position is that two days of compensation from airlines are insufficient. The state should cover an additional three days. Without state participation, she will not sign the compensation order.”
Schwartz estimated the cost at “hundreds of millions of shekels or more,” depending on the parameters and number of compensated nights, stressing the ministry’s opposition to a special aviation-sector plan.
MK Vladimir Beliak insisted: “Since this was a government-initiated action, it must compensate citizens. I sent a compensation plan that could resolve this for 250–300 million shekels. In recent months, the Finance Minister found 3.7 billion shekels to aid Gaza. If these were evacuees from Kedumim, he’d find the money. This is arrogance and disconnect. Citizens must be compensated, and we must insist on it across coalition and opposition.”
Other MKs joined the criticism:
Committee Chairman Bitan called the situation “a disgrace” and warned: “You know the state will eventually have to pay. This will end up costing more after lawsuits.”
Airline representatives described massive financial losses and legal threats:
Following lengthy deliberations, the committee unanimously adopted a resolution stating:
The committee concluded that expecting stranded citizens to bear heavy costs for a war-related government action is “unjust and unacceptable,” and vowed to push for a resolution without delay.