Free meds for Shoah survivors far from reality

Exactly six months have passed since it was decided that criteria should be set that would enable tens of thousands of Holocaust survivors to receive free medicine – but the implementation of this decision is far from reality. Israeli bureaucracy is taking its time, and according to data presented by the Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Victims, each day some 30 survivors pass away.

What is holding up the process? Zvi Kanor, CEO of the Holocaust Victims Assets Restitution company told Ynet, "The solution exists, we just need the information. I hope that within a month or two it will start working."

The Ministry of Social Affairs is not providing full answers, and in response said: "The matter is still being discussed; we are doing the maximum to advance it."

MK Zeev Bielski spoke out against the delay and said he hopes to hold a discussion on the matter in the Knesset's Finance Committee. "I regret that the government ministries have failed to live up to commitments from the year 2007 and have not assisted the survivors due to bureaucratic difficulties," he said.

The Finance Committee session on the matter, which was promised several months ago, did not take place because MK Bielski failed to file a proper request, and he said the committee's chairman could not hold such a session without one.

Following a request by Ynet, MK Bielski filed an official request to the committee to discuss the issue.

The Finance Committee said in response: "MKs are well aware of the protocol of filing a request to hold various discussions in the Finance Committee. The committee's secretariat received an official request to hold a session in this matter just this morning.

"In the past the committee's Chairman MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni has stated that the matter is worthy of a debate, and indeed it is. Holocaust survivors' distress is a matter that is very close to the committee and its members. Up until now many sessions have been held on their distress, the committee will continue in this fashion."

It should be noted that last year the Holocaust Victims Assets Restitution company requested that needy survivors be issued special magnetic cards to be pre-charged with NIS 200 (roughly $50). However, since the Ministry for Social Affairs is a government ministry, which cannot receive the money, the plan was not executed.

The company is now trying to transfer the funds, which are destined for the Holocaust survivors, directly to the HMOs. This means they will have to wait until the Ministry for Social Affairs transfers the list of needy Holocaust survivors.