The poverty rate in Israel in 2022: 1.98 million people were below the poverty line

the National Insurance's poverty report for Israel, published on Thursday, sheds light on the grim socio-economic situation prevailing in the country. The report underlines that income inequality and poverty rates in Israel are alarmingly high on the global scale.

As of 2022, a staggering 1.98 million people in Israel were living below the poverty line, with 873.3 thousand of them being children and 152.5 thousand senior citizens. The report emphasizes the inadequacy of welfare spending in Israel, with only 15.8% of GDP allocated to welfare in 2022, compared to the OECD average of 22.4%. This places Israel among the lowest in the world, trailing behind only Korea and Ireland.

The situation in 2022 witnessed a deterioration in the conditions of the impoverished population, with an increase in the depth and severity of poverty across various demographic groups. The incidence of poverty among children rose from 28% in 2021 to 28.2% in 2022, reflecting a concerning trend.

One of the report's key findings is the high incidence of poverty among young families, constituting 13.9% of all families and 28.5% of poor families. The government's contribution to alleviating poverty in these families was deemed relatively low.

While employment is touted as a key means of escaping poverty, the report underscores that low-income levels persist among working families. Poverty rates are notably high, reaching 22.5% among families with a single breadwinner and 8.6% in families with two or more breadwinners.

The report reveals that poverty rates remained nearly unchanged among Arab families (39%) but decreased slightly among ultra-Orthodox families (from 34.4% to 33.7%). However, the combined proportion of poor individuals from Arab and ultra-Orthodox communities among the general poor population reached a staggering 64.3% in 2022.

Prof. Roni Strier from the University of Haifa urges a shift from sectoralism to productive investment, especially in Arab and ultra-Orthodox families, focusing on education, professional training, and labor market integration. He criticizes the inadequacy of National Insurance benefits, asserting that they do not correspond to the cost of living in Israel.

The report also highlights a rise in the number of people feeling poor, households unable to cover expenses, and individuals giving up meals and leisure activities due to financial constraints. A survey conducted by the National Insurance indicates that 30.9% of the adult population experiences food insecurity, with the highest rates observed in Arab society at 62.7%.

Despite the report's emphasis on the 2022 data, Prof. Strier stresses its importance for shaping timely social policies and calls for a reevaluation of the bureaucratic complexities within the National Insurance system.

Eli Cohen, CEO of the Petachon Lev association, echoes the urgency of the situation, citing a significant increase in aid recipients and a growing number of families succumbing to poverty. Cohen attributes this distressing trend to government negligence, emphasizing the need for proactive measures to address the ongoing crisis.