The Civil Service Commission announced today that recognition will be accorded in computing pension and severance payments to civil servants for service in the Irgun, the pre-state Revisionist underground organization conducted by Merachem Beigin and the Lochamei Herut Yisrael, a similar organization.
The action followed a recommendation to that effect approved last night by the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, by a 36 to 18 vote. Previously, such recognition had been accorded to those with records of service in the Haganah, the pre-state Jewish Defense Organization, the Jewish Agency and other recognized organizations whose employees went into government service when the Jewish State was established. It had been with held from employees of the two underground organizations.
The recommendation was opposed by the Mapam, Achdut Avoda, the Communists and some Mapai deputies. Eight other Mapai deputies abstained in the voting.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
