Long-term and viable solutions are much better than narrow-monded quick-fix solutions. Israel has the lowest participation rate in terms of people in the work force out of the total population who could work. Instead of bashing Netanyahu and let the state budget swell to uncontrollable levels, it is much more constructive and positive to give education to unemployed and make them productive members of the work-force instead of permanent victims of social hand-outs. Most economic experts agree that the economic policies of the past three years have decreased the budget deficit, decreased the unemployment rate, increased the participation work rate and produced an impressive economic growth which will soon also result in a decrease in the poverty rates.

Theres also a much higher rate of people working under the table here (me included) that don't show up on paper, it's a country full of entrepreneurial Jews, not to mention the Arabs, everyone is doing some little business on the side.

There are plenty of jobs that pay the minimum or less.There will be poverty as long as owners and managers will get away with stealing from workers.They have no fear of punishment.Let them pay financially and let them sit in prison. There are alot of security companies that are cutting back on the work hours of guards so they will not have to pay overtime.Try to live on the minimum wage.We work but we are being forced into poverty.There are plenty of industries that do this to workers.There is no one to help us.There is no union and there is no gov't. Poverty will grow as all utilities,city ratesfood,water,school fees go up and we are left with a minimum wage that does not let us live.

Brasil is a great country,with a great people and with great resourses ,BUT with one of the greatest tables in CORRUPTION in this world. The money that is distributed to the States and to the Town Halls from the Federation is ROBBED ,instead of aplied in schools,hospitals,professors,nurseris,etc.And the money these States and Town Halls collect from them selves is also robbed in over-invoicing contracts,where the public money goes to mayors ,and others connected to them,pockets. So,I am sure that the root of poverty is ROBBERY. These "politics" make themselves a robbing elite,and the nayve people "idolatre" them! It is incredible! Israel has, in terms of resourses,nothing comparing to Brasil,but instead have a more cult people that produce other kinds of resourses...BUT have a corrupted government.A oligarchy that trample and crush People. Hence,you can theorize as much as you want to find poverty´s roots:The ONLY answers will be; 1)Robbery 2)Robbery 3)Robbery 4)Lack of ethic and moral consciece 5)Incompetence. You can change the sorting if will want,the final result will be the same.

Increased economic productivity and better use of technology in all sectors including the low-tech sectors will also increase the salaries and decrease the poverty rate. Israel has among the best unitversities and educators in the world and it is time to make unemplyed people educated and productive and proud members of the work-force.

I believe it has been happening a desiquilibrium in employment policies. This actual fact of lavishing cheap foreigners workers and palestians workers in Israel,has been taking off precious opportunities for Israeli citizens themselves. The cheap facilities are bringing its very dammaging results!

Arabs are the real reason for poverty in Israel. Jews are paying taxes, suppling free electricty, water, and medical care to Arabs. Arabs are paying no taxes and stealing everything that is not nailed down. We have poor Jews because our goverment would rather keep up appeareances to the west by supporting Arabs with no return and no payment of taxes on their incomes or business. While they divert those funds away from helping Jews.

it has nothing to do with the state. you can give a poor guy money, he'll spend it rather than use it to make more money ... if the state should do something about that, it's making the poor to stand "on their own feet" through education.

I agree with you... But the State must have the money to invest in education;it has to have the money to invest in health;it has to have the money to invest in free leasure for people;it has to have money to invest in culture;it has to have money to increase the minimum wage... If the State divert this money (wasting,robbing,using uncompetently)meant for the people and collected FROM THEM,poverty ,social unjustice,unhapiness will certainly come to the Country. Am I wrong?

I know, Andrew, that you don't live here, so you really have no idea what you are talking about. But next time you decide to 'support Israel' by visiting us. Go up and down Geula/Meah Shaarim or up Rachov Bar Ilan. Perhaps take a look at small stores people run through their homes, or go to different businesses. It's amazing how many Chareidim are there... What are they doing? WORKING!

And your knowledge about free public utilities and medical care to Arabs comes from where?

The key to reducing poverty and unemployment is not education, government needs to change existing legislation and divert funding. Education is a spin off to poverty reduction. Firstly the Israeli market has to become more self sufficient by creating a healthy MSME sector, legislation needs to be passed to assist would be entrepreneur’s entry into the private sector, higher education should be free. The tax structure has to be changed geared towards the poor. Nepotism needs to be eradicated; protexia needs to be eradicated, corruption needs to be eradicated, large corporations exec salaries need to be brought in line with their performance. Funds need to be channeled into the MSME sector, projects need to be developed to make it easier to enter the MSME sector by unsecured loans or grants. Take Singapore, Malaysia as an example, in the last 5 years they have done more than Israel has done in the last 58 years. Israel could be a positive example to the world, yet it shows all the symptoms of a capitalist society, where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

1- Tens of thousands of gov officials ministers h.knesst ect getting 30,000/mo and over 2- Banks 3,000,000 /**MONTH** top salaries 3- monopoly for transportation, electricity, telephones, you name it 4- lack of LEGISLATION that empowers creepy jerky employers to continue to abuse employees 5- single parents getting pennies from bituach leumi 6- MINIMUM LEGAL WAGES so low that makes it better to get bituach leumi and work under the table 7-ovdim zarim and arabs working 8- VAT and INCOME TAX so high that ones needs to think twice whether to toke a job legally or not. 9-proteczia 10- indeference of ministers and knesset members to reach out, analyse in depth and DO SOMETHIG to close the galloping gap between the poor, who get poorer and the rich who get richer KOL TUV

We're not from the west! The west's lower is the middleeast's highest. Which is great.