[Israel] 30 percent of Israelis fear poverty

From Ynet News

Poverty is Israel's most pressing problem, a new survey reveals. Hunger is on the rise and more middle-class families fall into poverty each year. It's time for an operative plan to fight poverty, chairman of charitable foundation says
Miri Chason

About 81 percent of all Israelis believe the government is neglecting to treat the problem of poverty, and every third citizen fears he will become poor, a new report on poverty reveals.

The Alternative Report on Poverty, compiled by the Latet Charity Foundation and released for publication Tuesday, is based on a survey conducted among 500 families across the country, 401 families that rely on charity, and 95 funds that provide food and support to the population in need.

The report exposes the harsh realities of life in Israel in 2005.

About a third of the population who rely on the support of charitable foundations have reached a stage of hunger. Furthermore, in recent years an increase of 50 percent in the number of people in need who were previously part of the middle class has been registered.

For 40 percent of those in need, the food the foundations provide constitutes more than half the amount of food they require for sustenance.

From demagogy to action

The report also revealed that almost half of the impoverished have severed ties with their family or friends as a result of their situation, and that more than half of the population claim to know someone who fell into poverty.

We hope that the public and the politicians realize that poverty is not a game of chance, but a horrible reality and a war for survival that includes experiences of hunger and illness, Attorney Eran Weintraub, who chairs the Latet foundation, said at a press conference.

"We call on the Israeli public, which long ago realized that the true problem Israel faces is that of social and economic security, to exert pressure on the politicians and take advantage of the political window of opportunity in order to turn the promises and demagogy into an operative plan to fight poverty," he added.