1. PLATFORM SUMMARY:
During the sessions of the 17th Knesset, Yisrael Beytenu will promote the following ideas
and laws. With your vote, we can accomplish our goals!
1. Constitution, Government and Judicial Reform
i. Accepting a constitution
ii. Establishing a constitutional court
iii. Become a Presidential Republic
iv. Create strict separation of powers as well as checks and balances
v. Raise the voter-threshold to 5% to decrease the number of Knesset factions and
contribute to the stability of the Knesset
vi. Representative election of Supremecourt justices
vii. Allowing absentee ballots to increase Jewish participation in national elections
2. Security and Public Order
i. Territory exchanges to restrict confronta between the Jewish and Arab
tion
nationalities
ii. To annex populated and strategic areas of Yehuda and Shomron such as Ariel,
Barkan, Givat Ze’ev, Gush Etzion, Maale Adumim, The Jordan Valley and
others.
iii. To move the border so as to include densely populated Arab territories of Israel
in the Palestinian Authority.
iv. JERUSALEM will remain the eternal and undivided capital of Israel
v. An integral part of the exchange plan must be the acceptance of a new
citizenship plan which includes:
- Upon reaching a certain age, each Israeli will have to pledge allegiance to
the state, its anthem, emblem and flag.
- As well, each citizen will have to commit to serving Israel in its army or a
parallel national service.
- Those who refuse either of the above commitments will receive limited
citizenship, which will negate their right to vote or be elected.
vi. Increase and consolidate the budget for Israel advocacy abroad, particularly in
Eastern European and for Soviet countries.
vii. To raise the fight against crime to a national priority
viii. Increase Police personnel and technology
ix. A new test and raised requirements for police, especially investigators
2. x. To uphold the recommendation of the solicitor general to publicize complaints
of police brutality and excessive force as well as by the Police Investigation
Bureau (of the justice department).
xi. To ensure that the police are used to strictly enforce the law and maintain public
order
3. Economics
i. To break up the monopolies and virtual monopolies which are impeding
progress in the Israeli economy.
ii. To privatize government controlled industries of energy, water resources,
transportation and media
iii. To use privatization as a catalyst to improve small and medium sized businesses
iv. Using revenue from privatization for social welfare purposes
v. Create a smoother bureaucratic process for approving projects deemed to be of
national importance
vi. Begin work on the Med-Dead Canal to create jobs, new sources of energy and
new sources of water for the Negev
vii. Back to work legislation to discourage strikes in vital industries
viii. Work disputes to be fairly settled through binding, third-party arbitration
ix. Consolidation of long term assistance to small and medium sized businesses
x. Assistance through loans, tax deferments and bid invitations
xi. Special business assistance for new immigrants, similar to those offered in the
Haredi and Arab sectors
xii. Special tax incentives for strategically located business (Jerusalem, Galil and
Negev)
xiii. Giving larger and more grants for scientific research
xiv. Reduction of bureaucracy for receipt of government benefits
xv. Expanded funding for joint international scientific research
4. Social Welfare
i. Long term rental social housing for those meeting social criteria for housing
assistance
ii. Mortgage assistance for the elderly and single-parent families in need
iii. A reduction on medication costs from 50% to 70% for retirees living on
national insurance payments
iv. Cancellation of VAT for prescription drugs – The state should not benefit from
the sicknesses of its citizens
v. Expansion of the kindergarten system, as well as subsidies so that the school
day can be as long as the work day, allowing young couples and single parents
to hold normal jobs
vi. Daily availability of public transportation
vii. Scholarship assistance for single-parent families
viii. Greater transparency of the National Insurance Institute as well as stricter laws
of operation and case-worker – client relations
3. ix. Ensure that government officesare staffed with employees who speak
immigrant languages fluently for Israelis not fluent in Hebrew
x. Forms and Health Service directions should be available in different languages
for Israelis not fluent in Hebrew
xi. Changing the pension law to allow a proper pension for immigrants who arrive
close to the age of retirement
xii. Allow for lower-income workers to receive income assistance regardless of
income – the government should not discourage working
xiii. Remove the restrictions on travel abroad for people on income assistance
xiv. Remove the restrictions on car ownership for people on income assistance
xv. Special assistance for people who were in ghettoes or concentration camps as
well as people who served as volunteers or home-front soldiers in WWII
xvi. Government unemployment insurance for self-employed and small business
owners
xvii. To make violation of employee rights a serious crime, especially in security or
cleaning businesses
5. Education, Culture and Sport
i. A comprehensive education reform as developed by education professionals,
including:
- Education vouchers to allow parents to choose the school for their children
- Pre-school abilities testing centers
- Financing for individual instruction for gifted children
- Greater ministry oversight of teacher quality and familiarity with lesson
material as well as student results
- Governmental support for new teaching methods such as that of the
“Mofet” schools
- Higher requirements for teachers such as Masters degrees in education, and
pay commensurate to their professionalism and education
ii. Higher requirements for teachers as well as the ability for parents to choose
schools will create greater competition and allow school systems to expand to
the peripheral communities
iii. The priority of the ministry of education should be to test the standards of
schools using modern criteria and provide this information to parents
iv. Lower the cost of University and colleges
v. Student loans with payments deferred to after completing school and finding a
job
vi. Merit scholarships
vii. Open new universities
viii. Raise the status of colleges to equal international standards for degrees,
particularly in education
ix. Allow for cultural grants for artists and writers who perform or write in their
native languages
x. Greater percentage of budget dedicated to cultural activity
xi. Further protection for historical structures
xii. Creation of a museum dedicated to Jewish participation in WWII
xiii. Creation of a museum dedicated to Aliyah
4. xiv. Creation of a governmental council for sport and physical fitness
xv. Expansion of sports clubs and networks is a major factor in combating drug use
xvi. Tax credits for sponsors of youth sports clubs and physical activity programs
xvii. Cancellation of the TV tax
xviii. Severing media from government interests
6. Environmental Protection
i. Completion of the law formulated by Yisrael Beytenuto restrict the placement
of cellular antennae and other irradiative devices
ii. To pass a clean air law
7. Civic Equality and Ending Discrimination Against Immigrants
i. Passing a civil marriage and divorce law
ii. Law against employment discrimination against immigrants
iii. Anti-discrimination laws for non-Jewish immigrants as well