The Israel Land Authority Council, convened today (Sunday) by Minister Haim Katz to discuss housing benefits for IDF servicemen, decided that in the upcoming 'Apartment at a Discount' lottery, for the first time, a lottery of 100% will be held for reserve soldiers and 4,000 apartments will be raffled off for servicemen.
Is 100,000 NIS right for you before Shavuot? Last hours for the big lottery!
The Ministry of Construction and Housing will open registration for the 'Discounted Apartment' lottery for reserve servicemen on May 25.
The additional 4,000 housing units from the total existing inventory for lotteries will be drawn for the general public at a later date - subject to the regularization of the applicants' status with the army, which will exclude ultra-Orthodox Jews who are subject to conscription from the lottery.
Anyone who submits a false declaration and wins the lottery will have their right revoked.
''Apartment at a Discount' is a program that aims to make it easier for those without a home to buy their first apartment on preferential terms.
The decision was made after the Deputy Legal Advisor to the Prime Minister, Attorney Gil Limon, today issued a directive to the RAMI Council stating that it is not permissible to be satisfied with mere discussion, but that immediate operational decisions must be made - following the High Court of Justice ruling, which ordered the denial of housing benefits that require conscription.
According to the directive, the Ministry of Defense was obligated to make the decisions today that would allow for the immediate denial of the right to participate in the programs from those defined as being subject to conscription.
The Israel Land Authority stated: "On May 25, 2026, registration will open for half of the lottery housing units - 4,000 units - for reserve soldiers only (50% priority for combatants). Regarding the second half - 4,000 units - registration will open for those eligible who have settled their status with the military authorities, while giving priority to the disabled and local residents.".
The decision is expected to particularly affect thousands of young people who until now saw the 'Apartment at a Discount' program as the convenient way to purchase an apartment at reasonable prices.
The upcoming lottery was supposed to include apartments in the communities of Rechsim, Beit Shemesh, and Kiryat Gat. If yeshiva students are absent, the secular public will win the apartments and change the character of the communities.
The Israel Land Authority also stated: "As soon as information arrives from the army before May 25, registration will open for all housing units drawn for those eligible who have settled their status with the army authorities, while giving 50% priority to reserve soldiers (25% priority to combatants).".
Meanwhile, efforts are continuing in the coalition to postpone the dissolution of the Knesset by signaling to the ultra-Orthodox parties that the conscription law can be approved in the current term.
Following this, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee announced that it will hold a discussion and likely a vote on the law this coming Wednesday. Although the law is expected to be voted on in the second and third readings in the committee, the proposal does not currently appear to have a majority in the Knesset plenum.
A statement was issued from the home of Maran Haredi Lando: "The members of Knesset of Degel HaTorah were instructed last night by Maran, the leader of the generation, Haredi Lando, not to be drawn into political games and to support the dissolution of the Knesset this coming Wednesday.""
Currently, it still appears that the bill to dissolve the Knesset in a preliminary reading is expected to come up for a vote on Wednesday.
Join the Haredim 10 Facebook page >>
Join the X page of Haredim 10 >>
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
