POLITICAL PARTIES:
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Highlights of the Meretz Platform

Peace and Security

Exhausting every opportunity to return to the negotiating table and reach a political settlement with the Palestinians.

A comprehensive program to end the occupation: erecting an effective border fence, compensating settlers to move within adjusted 1967 frontiers, maintaining Israel's defense from inside internationally-recognized borders.

Withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from the territories and their replacement by a temporary international security and civil monitoring force.

Revolutionizing Education Providing - by law - truly free education from the age of two through college or university.

Reforming national education priorities based on the principle that the greatest investment must be made where the greatest inequity now exists.

Establishing a "long school day" and a five-day school week, and doubling teachers' pay to compensate them for the additional work-load.

Ensuring the implementation of a basic core studies program in all schools, secular and religious. Resuming the provision of free school lunches.

Reforming National Budgetary Priorities

Transferring billions of shekels presently allocated to the settlements and the ultra-Orthodox sector to the places where they are most needed: development towns, inner city neighborhoods, disadvantaged Arab communities, employment incentives and much-needed projects in infrastructure, energy and the environment.

Protection of Human Rights

Rescinding of the Emergency Regulations of 1945. Completing legislation of the Basic Laws. Establishing a Civil Rights Commission. Drafting a Constitution.

Religious Pluralism

Respect and recognition for all streams of Judaism. Separation of religion from the state and separation of religious institutions from political institutions. Making civil marriage and divorce an option for all Israelis. Functioning of public transport and cultural activities on Shabbat.

Cleaning Up Politics

Free and fair internal elections under state supervision in all political parties. Education in democratic values and institutions in all schools, secular and religious.

Equality for Women and Family Rights

Establishing legal and social equality for women in all areas of human endeavour and repealling all laws and regulations that contradict this principle. Recognition of household work in the calculation of social benefits and pension rights. Recognition of child-care expenses for tax purposes. Affirmative action for single-parent families. Establishing and empowering a public authority to deal with violence in Israeli society, particularly against women.

Rights for the Disabled

Ensuring that the law granting basic rights to people with disabilities is fully implemented. Guaranteeing full accessibility to public places and the public transport system. Increasing disability allowances to people on a limited income. Providing suitable housing for the disabled.

Preferences for IDF Reservists

Increasing financial and other compensation to the minority of reservists who bear the greatest burden particularly those serving in combat units. Annulling the "Tal Law" granting blanket draft exemptions to ultra-orthodox men. Spreading the obligations and risks of reserve duty more fairly.

Equality for the Arab Citizens of Israel

Ending all types of discrimination and eliminating the socio-economic gap between Arabs and Jews. Passing and enforcing legislation ensuring equality of opportunity and implementing affirmative action programmes for the Arab sector. Integration of Arab citizens into all state institutions and public sector corporations. Establishing a new Arab city.

Equality for Gays and Lesbians: Passing legislation outlawing all discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons in all spheres of life. Full legal recognition of gay and lesbian couples.

Improving Road Safety

Comprehensive road safety education starting in nursery school. Creating incentives to improve the safety of road infrastructure and motor vehicles. Vigourous law enforcement against repeat driving offenders. Making cycling safer by building bike paths.

Protecting the Environment

Keeping open spaces and urban "green lungs" safe from commercial development. Public transportation on rail rather than road.

Increasing the use of clean energy.

Expanding the recycling of solid waste. Uncompromising enforcement of the highest international environmental standards, with special urgency accorded to industrial plants near residential areas.

Children's Rights

Completing a framework of laws for protecting Israel's children. Increasing the severity of punishments for physical and sexual abuse of minors. Ensuring the right of conversion to Judaism for adopted children.

Integration and Advancement of Immigrants Employment training for immigrants so that their professional qualifications meet the needs of the economy. Automatic citizenship for first-degree family members of IDF soldiers.

Senior Citizens' Rights

Annulling all recent cuts in government allocations to senior citizens.

Legislating effective supervision of geriatric institutions. Free use of public transport for senior citizens.

Expanding coverage provided by the National Social Security Law to include nursing care and types of treatment and medicines not currently accessible. Passing a universal pension law.

Improving the Quality of Health Care Separating the public health system, including facilities built and maintained by tax money, from private health care services for the rich. Cancelling all additional fees that insured patients must pay for medicines, consulting a doctor and other vital services.

Establishing the Israeli Social-Democratic Party right after the elections, Meretz is committed to the establishment of the Israeli Social-Democratic Party in order to unify those political forces that believe in social justice, peace and the inherent equality of all human beings. The Social-Democratic Party will endeavour to become Israel's largest political party by bringing in other groups with similar values.

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