Appeals Committee Overturns Ministry of Defense Decision on Disabled IDF Veteran
The Appeals Committee under the Invalid Soldiers Law has overturned a Ministry of Defense decision regarding a disabled IDF veteran, citing a glaring internal contradiction in his part-time employment assessment. Judge Amir Salame ordered a full re-evaluation of the case.
Internal Contradiction in Ministry of Defense Decision
The Appeals Committee under the Invalid Soldiers Law (Benefits and Rehabilitation) has overturned a Ministry of Defense decision regarding a disabled IDF veteran, citing a glaring internal contradiction. The ministry's ruling simultaneously claimed that the veteran was permanently unable to earn a living, while also asserting that he was capable of working part-time.
The committee's chairman, Judge Amir Salame, ordered the Ministry of Defense to re-evaluate the case.
Background of the Veteran's Case
The appellant, who has been unemployed since 2011, suffers from a 30% mental health disability recognized as a result of his military service in the IDF. He also struggles with several other medical conditions, due to which the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) previously determined he had suffered a total loss of earning capacity.
In late 2024, a professional expert team on behalf of the rehabilitation officer (known as the Tzaram) recognized his total loss of earning capacity for six months to allow him to complete medical treatments. The Ministry of Defense adopted this position. However, in July 2025, the situation reversed. Following a new medical examination, the expert team concluded that while the veteran's general medical condition "does not permanently allow for gainful employment," his recognized military disability meant he was "fit for partial work." The team recommended a 50% office-based position.
Following this recommendation, the rehabilitation officer ruled that the veteran was fit for a half-time position, reducing his monthly eligibility to a partial benefit of approximately 4,900 NIS. The veteran appealed, calling the decision arbitrary and unreasonable.
The Court's Ruling
Judge Amir Salame ruled that the decision could not stand in its current form, stating that the case must be returned to the rehabilitation officer for further review and clarification.
Judge Salame emphasized that the July 2025 expert team recommendation suffered from a clear internal contradiction:
"It is obvious that these are contradictory conclusions that cannot coexist with one another."
The judge noted that the veteran has not worked for approximately 15 years, and previous expert teams had assumed he was entirely unable to work. The court found it unclear how the latest team concluded that the veteran is now capable of working a half-time job.
Furthermore, the judge pointed out that previous evaluations stated it was impossible to separate the mental health reactions linked to his general illnesses from those attributed to his military service. The latest decision failed to explain what had changed or how the team was suddenly able to make such a distinction. The case has been officially returned to the rehabilitation officer for a complete reassessment.
