Once again, Bituach Leumi prepares to release it poverty report and once again, the newspapers will fill pages with depressing facts and stories but on the national government level, little is done to relieve the pain of the Israeli poor, many ‘working poor,’ those earning poor salaries which do not permit them to support their families on a minimal level.
 
1,631,000 people are classified as poor in Israel, comprised of no less than 418,000 families and 777,400 children! This is the picture according to Bituach Leumi (National Insurance Institute) in the second half of 2008.
 
The report shows the number of poor in line with the agency’s 2007 report, but do not be deceived – the situation is far more serious. There is a 2% increase in the level of poverty as compared to 2005, attesting to the growing gap between the average national salary and the earnings of the nation’s poor.
 
One of the contributory factors is the fact that prices rose 4% in 2008 while salaries remained the same. Even the 2.8% increase in child allowance payments did not do enough to keep up with the increase in the cost of living. Experts warn that in addition, the report being released on Sunday is actually optimistic, not addressing the result of the global fiscal crisis.
 
Social Affairs Minister Yitzchak Herzog concurs, explaining the world economic crisis, recession and Operation Cast Lead will all have an impact on the figures which are not addressed in this report.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)