Anyone who sees our disabled children as an ‘exit strategy’ has no place in this debate

A powerful statement has emerged from Israel’s disability community, rejecting what advocates describe as dehumanising language used by some public figures in discussions about the country’s future. The criticism centres on rhetoric that treats people with disabilities, particularly children, as burdens or solutions to demographic challenges rather than as citizens deserving of dignity and full participation in society.

Disability rights campaigners have expressed deep frustration at what they say is a troubling tendency to invoke disabled Israelis in political debates without acknowledging their fundamental rights and wellbeing. The statement articulates a fundamental principle: that no child or person with disabilities should ever be discussed in terms of their perceived utility or as a means to achieve other social or political objectives.

Advocates emphasise the daily struggles faced by families of children with disabilities in Israel, who often depend on state support including welfare payments, medical committees, and official recognition to access essential services and care. Rather than being framed as a drain on resources, these families argue that proper support systems are a basic responsibility of any functioning society.

The rebuke represents a broader push by Israel’s disability rights movement to shift the conversation away from economic or demographic calculations and towards recognising the inherent value and rights of all citizens, regardless of their circumstances. Campaigners insist that meaningful inclusion and support for disabled individuals should be based on principles of human dignity, not on calculations about how they might serve other national interests.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.