Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., December 17, 2007 Tevet 8, 5768 | | Israel Time: 05:53 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Hanukkah

Protestors blocking a Jerusalem thoroughfare in August during a protest against the treatment of the disabled in Israel. (Pierre Terdjman) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 19:41 16/12/2007 Disabled advocacy group: We'll take to the streets if gov't ignores us By Ruth Sinai, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Disabled, benefits, Israel  An advocacy group for disabled people said on Sunday it will take to the streets if the government remains unwilling to meet with its representatives and discuss ways to improve living conditions for hundreds of thousands of disabled Israelis. The group members threatened to undertake a popular struggle, similar to the protest campaigns that they led in 1999 and 2001. The Campaign for Handicapped Persons in Israel said, "Olmert and his government ignore us deliberately, an attitude which puts a lid on our endeavors to promote our integration in society." Advertisement Yoav Kraim, one of the leaders of the group, said that over the past few months they have continuously asked to meet with officials from the Treasury, the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office but were turned down each time. The current campaign was sparked by an equality watchdog report, issued earlier this month, which states that the status of disabled people in Israel is the worst in the Western world and that at least half of them do not graduate high school. Campaign chairman Roni Schechter said, "The government cannot publicize such harsh findings and then ignore them. Our leaders should be held accountable for our condition," he said. The group says it is protesting Treasury policies to extend the freeze on disability allowances until 2010, to forestall the implementation of a law enabling disabled students to be educated in ordinary schools, to hamper the rehabilitation of mental patients outside asylums and to refrain from instigating a reform to allow the disabled to work without fear of losing their benefits. Related articles: Report: Israel's disabled worst off in Western world Disabled Israelis block entrance to city in Jerusalem protest Bosses allowed to pay disabled people less than minimum wage Disabled petition for right to live outside institutions Bookmark to del.icio.us No rights The gov't won't grant rights to Palestinians west of fence, according to a report. Right to a child The Welfare Min. is launching a policy that would allow single-sex families to adopt.   1.   Attitudes are handicapped 19:20  |  Alicia 16/12/07   2.   It`s a crying shame Alicia 20:48  |  roger 16/12/07   3.   The Disabled 05:20  |  leven5 17/12/07

Today Online Haniyeh tells Hamas rally: We will never recognize Israel Responses: 318 Zvi Barel: In the end, the IDF will go into the Gaza Strip Responses: 163 Qassam strikes Negev home; toddler lightly hurt Responses: 101 Ehud Asheri: Israeli Arabs are right to skip Israel's 60th Responses: 83 Was Hollywood's most famous censor an anti-Semite? Responses: 54 Rosner's Domain Without the Reform movement in Israel, there's no Reform movement Guest: Americans say there's no need nor point in creating Palestinian state Who believes in intelligence reports? So, Should American Jews have a voice in shaping Israel's policies? More Headlines 03:04 U.S. weighs plan to help Egypt block arms smuggling to Gaza 04:08 Senior U.S. official visits Israel to hold high-level talks on Iran 05:01 Cabinet okays renewing controversial Temple Mount Mugrabi excavation 05:40 Israeli research among '50 most significant scientific breakthroughs in 2007' 01:14 Top yeshivas sever ties with Jewish Agency program MASA 02:26 States attending PA donors' summit to urge Israel to remove W. Bank roadblocks 22:20 Report: Gov't won't grant rights to Palestinians west of fence 03:31 Shas says will block plan to allow gay couples adopt children 23:50 Prosecutors to charge Moshe Katsav's brother with sexual harassment 03:05 Qassam strikes Negev home; two-year-old toddler lightly hurt Previous Editions Select Day 16 dec 14 dec 13 dec 12 dec 11 dec 10 dec 09 dec 07 dec 06 dec 05 dec 04 dec 03 dec

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