The National Insurance Institute Poverty Report for 2006 states that Israel had 1,649,800 persons living below the poverty line. The proportion of poor persons was unchanged from 2005, when there were 1,630,500 poor.
The proportion of children living below the poverty line rose to 796,100 in 2006 from 768,800 in 2005, although the proportion was unchanged at more than one third of all children. The proportion of children in poverty has risen 60% since 1998.
The proportion of elderly living below the poverty line shrank to 21.1% of all elderly in 2006 from 24.4% in 2005. The National Insurance Institute attributes the decline to increased benefits, including increases in old-age pensions.
The number of families living below the poverty declined to 404,400 in 2006 from 410,700 in 2005, and the proportion of poor families declined to 20% of all families in 2006 from 20.6% a year earlier. The proportion of families living below the poverty line is high compared to previous years, however.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on September 4, 2007
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2007