National Insurance Service “Bituah Leumi”Photo: MagioreStock/Shutterstock.com.
More than 70,000 citizens have been granted the status of victims of terrorism following the tragedy of 7 October 2023. Large-scale checks are currently underway to verify the authenticity of these claims. This is reported by Time Ukraine Israel portal with reference to Vesty.
Three Palestinians, who were born in the Gaza Strip and later received Israeli citizenship, are suspected of fraudulently obtaining compensation from the National Insurance Service (Bituah Leumi). As it became known on 28 January, the Investigations Department found that the brothers tried to pose as victims of terrorist activities in order to receive financial assistance.
Fraudulent scheme
The brothers were granted Israeli citizenship after the tragic death of their father, who was killed for his collaboration with Israeli security services. They used this fact as the basis for their application for recognition as victims of terror.
However, the investigation showed that none of the brothers were in Sderot at the time of the Hamas attack. Two of them managed to deceive the system and were granted victim status. The third brother was denied due to insufficient evidence.
Investigations and whistleblowing
After the outbreak of war, the National Insurance Service promptly provided assistance to all applicants so as not to delay payments to those who were truly affected. But later, thorough checks were launched. Among the key methods of investigation was the geolocation of mobile devices, which confirmed that the applicants were far from the scene of the terrorist attack.
Cases of fraud are not limited to this story. As previously reported by Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth, some citizens filed false claims, claiming to be victims of terrorist attacks, when in fact they were not in the danger zone.
Comments by “Bituah Leumi”
In a statement, representatives of the National Insurance Service said:
“We promptly provided assistance to all victims of the 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks. However, among them were those who cynically took advantage of the situation to illegally obtain funds. All fraudulent payments will be returned, and the perpetrators will face criminal charges.”
Scope of inspections
To date, more than 70,000 citizens have been granted the status of victims of terror. To verify the authenticity of applications, the Service uses data from security services, hospitals and modern technologies. In particular, this allows us to quickly identify false statements.
This story is a vivid example of how the state protects its resources from abuse. The case of the three brothers has already been referred to the prosecutor’s office for further consideration.
