War Relief: Smotrich Announces State-Backed Leave for Parents During School Closures

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has finalized a relief measure for parents across Israel as part of the government's compensation framework for Operation Roaring Lion, aimed at easing the economic burden on hundreds of thousands of families affected by the ongoing war with Iran.

Under the decision, parents of children under the age of 14 will be entitled to state-backed unpaid leave, known in Hebrew as halat, for one parent per household, provided that educational institutions in their area remain closed under Home Front Command security directives. The measure comes in response to a surge of appeals from parents compelled to stay home and care for children after schools and kindergartens were ordered shut, often at the cost of lost workdays and job security.

The Finance Ministry is also expected to finalize, within the coming days, a broader compensation package covering businesses and employees across all sectors. The framework is being developed in coordination with the Presidium of Israeli Business Organizations and the Histadrut Labor Federation, with the stated aim of addressing widespread economic disruption caused by persistent rocket alerts and work stoppages. The Treasury has characterized its goal as creating a "fast and efficient" mechanism to shield small and medium-sized businesses from collapse while preserving employment continuity during the current period of uncertainty.

The announcement has not been without controversy. Oren Ozan, head of the National Parents' Association, issued a pointed rebuke of the plan, accusing the minister of prioritizing fiscal restraint over genuine family support.

"The Finance Minister issues a statement boasting about his consideration for parents, but the opposite is true," Ozan said. "He is a disconnected minister who shows once again that he only cares about the treasury's coffers and not the parents' pockets. We don't need his permission to go on unpaid leave. Parents should not be financially harmed by an irresponsible and illogical decision. He should make the brave and just choice to compensate any parent forced to stay home with their children."