Northern Border Forum to Petition High Court Over Tax-Benefit Gap

The forum representing northern conflict-line communities will file a High Court petition on Sunday demanding correction of tax-benefit disparities. The petition argues that communities living under daily Hezbollah threat receive only 10% to 14% income-tax benefits while southern communities receive 20%, even after the government earmarked NIS 300 million from northern recovery budgets for northern tax benefits. The move follows Knesset progress on separate benefits for Judea and Samaria and Beersheba while the northern implementing legislation has not advanced. Israel's northern residents carried the burden of months of fire and evacuation; Jerusalem should honor the promised recovery package without forcing loyal border communities into court.