Budget cuts in Israel threaten programs for disabled people

YnetNews.com reports that the Israeli government's proposed budget for 2009 may cut about $450 million from the budget held by the National Insurance Institute (NII), as well as $22.8 million from programs that it holds for elderly people, disabled people and children.

"Roughly 16,000 elderly people who live in nursing homes and about 14,000 children will be added to the poverty line by the move, as well as 40,000 widows," YnetNews.com says. "According to figures released by the NII, more than 1000 special projects will suffer, including those that have not yet begun. In summation, tens of thousands of children and handicapped persons will be sideswiped by the cut."