In its sitting on Tuesday, the Knesset Plenum voted to approve in second and third readings the Mandatory Tenders Bill (Amendment No. 24—Temporary Provision) (Amendment No. 2) (Extension of Temporary Provision), 2025, sponsored by MKs Afef Abed (Likud) and Michael Biton (Blue and White—National Unity Party). In the vote, nine Members of Knesset supported the bill, without opposing votes.
It is proposed to extend the temporary provision giving the Government the power to enact regulations for giving preference to Israeli-made textile goods in purchases of the security forces for an additional five years.
MK Abed, the bill’s sponsor: “My thanks to all the Members of Knesset who supported the bill. This is a bill that is important to me personally and to the Druze community. This bill protects the employment of 4,500 women in factories and advances blue-and-white [made in Israel] manufacturing.”
The explanatory notes to the bill state: “In order to extend the possibility of giving preference to Israeli-made goods in textile purchasing tenders conducted by the defense establishment and the Ministry of National Security, it is proposed to extend the temporary provision by five additional years, until July 15, 2030.
“The proposed extension will advance the local industry and the entire economy, and will create, at low cost, many jobs in many textile factories in Israel that are in difficult economic straits. This is of great importance, particularly in light of the current economic situation, caused by the Swords of Iron war.”
