Former prime minister Naftali Bennett on Thursday unveiled a sweeping multi-point plan for increasing handicapped access and integrating the disabled into the Israeli economy, stating that such a policy will turn Israel into “a light unto the nations.”

Addressing supporters and representatives of the disabled community at an event in the central city of Bnei Brak, Bennett pledged to ensure that intercity buses become fully accessible and promised to encourage the disabled to enter the workforce without endangering their government benefits, which he says have until now provided an “incentive” not to seek employment.

“Accessibility is not a side issue. It is the heart of our society. There are 1.2 million of our brothers and sisters, people with disabilities, here in Israel. For too many years, the state looked at them through the lens of welfare, stipends, support, and neediness. My central goal is to change that perception. The “disability” is not theirs, it is ours. It’s when the state limits them and fails to integrate them,” he said.

“None of them want handouts. They want opportunity. The idea is to move everyone from dependence to independence, from charity to growth. When we do this, Israel will be a ‘light unto the nations,’ both socially and economically. It simply increases our GDP when they work,” Bennett continued, laying out a series of steps intended to increase the employment rate among the disabled to 60 percent.

These include ensuring those who choose to work do not lose........

© The Times of Israel