BICOM

Several party political leaders presented their ideas to reduce poverty in Israel after a report indicated a rise in impoverished Israelis over the last year.

Yesterday, Latet, a non-partisan organization which provides assistance to needy populations in Israel, released its annual report, regarded as an important indicator of impoverishment in Israel. Among its findings, the report indicates that in 2012 more Israeli families are going without food and more children are begging than in 2011. The report found that 27 per cent of children in Israeli families that require assistance have experienced full days without food this year, up from 21 per cent in 2011.

With next month’s election in mind, the report also found that 56 per cent of respondents (combined aid recipients and general members of the public) said that policies on poverty will have a significant impact on their vote.

Leader of Hatnuah, Tzipi Livni and Amir Peretz, who is third on the party’s list of Knesset candidates, held a press conference yesterday, outlining the party’s economic plan including the introduction of differential VAT. Livni said, “We oppose a wild open market where this government feels it’s responsible for everything, but won’t wave the red flag of monopolies and too much government involvement like Labour suggests.”

Meanwhile, Labour Party leader Shelly Yachimovich said “Poverty isn’t a problem that can be taken care of with one plan or a spin” and accused Prime Minister Netanyahu of being “blind and indifferent” to poverty and “driving the poor to dark places.” Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett said that increasing employment among ultra-Orthodox men and Arab women, “is a top social and economic interest” to combat poverty. The Arab and ultra-Orthodox Jewish sectors are the poorest in Israeli society.