Knesset members vote themselves a salary increase 

Members of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, have voted themselves a salary increase of 2.8 per cent, Ynet News reported on Monday. The salaries of the President and Prime Minister will also rise by the same amount. All increases will take effect from this month.

According to the news website, this means that the monthly salary of the Israeli President is to go up to NIS 64,616 ($18,637) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will get NIS 56,295 ($16,163). Knesset members will see their monthly salary rise to NIS 45,251 ($12,992), while ministers will get NIS 50,623 ($14,535$).

The average national salary in Israel is approximately NIS 11,000 ($3,170), roughly one quarter of what lawmakers earn.

The website also reported the National Insurance Institute and pointed out that there are approximately 2 million Israelis living in poverty, including 800,000 children. The elderly in Israel receive a state pension of NIS 1,554 ($446) a month.

Although the Knesset has been gripped by a political stalemate and inaction for “more than a year”, said Ynet News, an agreement to give themselves a salary increase was reached by its members.

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