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Who deleted the poverty report?

Every year towards December, the National Insurance Institute publishes the report on poverty and social disparities, but in recent years, especially during the Corona crisis and the lack of a state budget, a disturbing picture has emerged: a full and detailed report has not been published for two years.

Do not hide what has been seen in the field and has been felt for a long time

Tags

• Corona virus

• poverty

• Social Security

Eli Cohen

Wednesday, 17 November, 2021, 01:16 Updated: 01:31

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One of the most prominent manifestations of the lack of examination of the state of poverty in Israel is the lack of a proper poverty report since the corona plague broke out into our lives. The Social Security poverty report that was supposed to be published and is supposed to be published in the future, I hope - should include indices, comparisons to past years and especially a reflection of the poverty situation in Israel. A slight examination brings up a disturbing picture according to which the last full and detailed poverty report published referred to 2018, and the report that examined 2019 was extremely partial and was based on other calculations that do not reflect. How can the need to reduce poverty be taken seriously in this way?

Every year towards December, the National Insurance Institute publishes the report on poverty and social disparities, but in recent years, and especially during the Corona crisis and the lack of a state budget, the published report has been lacking.

And yes, it is to be congratulated that finally after 3 difficult years, the State of Israel has a budget that will allow the authorities and bodies to work in an orderly manner.

However, with all the celebration, one must keep an eye on the degree to which the budget can improve the situation of the needy in the State of Israel and how much emphasis there is on welfare and reducing socioeconomic disparities, most of which intensified as a result of the corona crisis.

The lack of a social budget means a severe and painful blow to the weakest stratum in Israeli society - the citizens who are below the poverty line.

Unfortunately, the issue has become so important, it has not been examined clearly and measurably enough in recent years, while the economic plague brought about by the corona will remain with us for a long time to come.

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Citizens who used to distribute food to the needy came to ask for themselves (Photo: Reuven Castro)

At the beginning of the year, a huge wave of layoffs hit the economy, businesses closed, families collapsed and moreover during the middle of the year and at the same time as the economy reopened, the government grant program ended.

In my opinion, there are sufficient reasons to examine the state of poverty in Israel.

And yet - Social Security has not released data for this year.

So let me tell you that in the last year we have all witnessed new sights and types of poverty raiding almost every good part.

Citizens who in the past even used to volunteer and distribute food to the needy, came in disgrace and in the dead of night, to ask for a basket of food for themselves and their family.

And so, what has been predicted in the field and has been felt for a long time, must now be reflected in the data.

So here, I am honored to update Social Security because this year thousands of families have joined the cycle of poverty and call - do not hide poverty from the Israeli public and publish the poverty report.

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