Less Poverty in Israel in 2007

Headline:

 

 Poverty at 10-year low; nearly 1 in 4 Israelis are poor 

 

For the first time in ten years, the National Insurance Institute's poverty report, presented Sunday by Welfare Minister MK Isaac Hertzog, indicates a decline in the level of poverty in Israel.

 

The number of poverty stricken people has dropped from 1,674,800 in February 2007 to the current 1,630,400. This accounts for a decrease of 44,000, and a poverty level of 23.8 percent for 2007 as opposed to last year's 24.5 percent.

 

The report indicates a very slight general improvement that is mainly due to the rise in the number of employees in the economy and the increase in payment that was registered in 2007.

The number of poverty stricken children has decreased for the first time in years, falling from 35.8 percent to 34.2 percent. The number of poor children this year is 774,000, says the report, whereas the previous report published in February this year presented a higher number of 804,000.

 

"Only" one in four is not good enough. And this year, it will get worse.

 

Ami Isseroff