Why are we so suddenly so poor!

is spending so much of our money on beds on airplanes and silly household expenses.

You are supposed to become a future alternative to Bibi and fight the tycoons instead of weakening the working classes. Well, in time you`ll have to admit that you are not fit for the job . Next elections you won`t have the votes you enjoy now. return to what you excel to do, entertaining.

We don't lead the West in poverty, we lead the west in Haredim and Arabs, two sectors which chose to live as they do. It's insane to have a study like this that includes Haredim. They are poor by choice, they are not people who are looking for work and cannot find it.

The biggest problem in Israel when it comes to economics is not government spending on the military etc its the fact that Israelis work longer hours and for less money that most their counterparts in other developed countries. Its always been this way, possibly as a result of the fact that the roots of zionism was based on Marxism and the kibbutz movement strengthened those socialist roots. When statehood was declared it went from being about the community to the country especially as most the founders were refugees with very few possessions anyway so everybody had to work together to build a country, we all did our bit for society In this case though the country evolved but the idea of working hard for less didn't go and then it became something employers have made the most of. Now its so engrained into society can it actually be changed, what would companies do if they were suddenly told that we were going to have to pay a fair wage? So many people with jobs get paid so little that they are still living in poverty. The other problem is the snobbery culture where alot of Israelis believe they are to good to do certain low paid jobs and so we end up brining in foreigners to do those jobs Israelis won't. There are also sectors like the haredi where they have large families and they want to dedicate their lives to learning Torah. We also bring over millions of Jews who already live in poverty. Ethiopians in the 80s, Russians in the 90s and there are some that are some people from the western world who come because they have nothing and think it will be easier to start fresh in Israel because the government tries to help olim settle and start new lives and back home they just have to fend for themselves. So Israel's economic problems are very much cultural and how do you change cultural attitudes that have been around since day 1?

No coincidence that the guy who coined the phrase start up nation was a key aid to Mr. 1% George Romney and that Bibi's heroes are the free market apologists for inequality and piggish capitalism. Just wait till neo-Bibi Lapid tells us we have to protect the job producers who own the large cartels and attacks the takers who live in poverty.

The Islam has proclaimed not one inch of Palestine for the Jews so a Nation at war ought be on war rations.Many in the Galut are helping but many prefer Mansions and Expensive cars .

Those who rely on welfare support from the government are acting irresponsibly and should not rush to have children. The government faces many requests for support, among them from elderly and sick people. Young people should possess skills for earning a living before they bring children to this world.

2 factors should be kept in mind about these "statistics": a) Haredim are voluntarily poor. They choose not to work. b) It's not PC to say so but it is very common in the Arab sector to work off the books and therefore they are recorded as being in poverty. Go into an Arab village with supposedly high levels of poverty and tell me if the houses like poor people are living there.

The Israeli tax system is outdated, incompetent and bolshevist in the extreme. The only difference is that instead of coddling politbureau members it coddles the elites. The middle class is being taxed, the banks get off scott free again to make billions in profits. And the poor sucker at the bottom. Just try getting a 2nd or 3rd job - instead of making it easier for poor people to make more money, the government makes it as hard as possible. They aren't mean. they're just stupid people running the show. Incompetent too. I include Yair Lapid in there, along with Bibi, who doesn't give a s! about lowering the poverty rate.

I think it is important to point out that the poverty line is a measurement of the minimum level income deemed necessary for all essential resources in a given country. Thus, developed countries have a much higher poverty threshold than other countries. In Israel´s case, I don´t think the GDP per capita is low (no 28 in the world) , but the price level is just too high. Especially housing seems expensive and almost comparable to Norwegian prices. I guess there are many reasons for this, such as security situatiom and military spending. While I dont think wide income gaps are good for a society, Israel is still in a better position than countries with very low GDP per capita. It is not an easy fix for the poverty rate, but I believe it would be a lot more difficult if the GDP per capita was low as well. Israel is not a poor country.

it doesn't help that 10% plus of our population is the parasitic non working and non participating citizenry in our economy. it also doesn't help that 20% of the arab israeli population is poorly educated, has no motivation, lacks any intelligence to further themselves and attain good jobs so that they can participate in our work force and economy. they would rather celebrate the naqba and riot than educate themsleves. it doesn't help that we have a lot of ethiopeans that are also poorly educated and lack work skills. the country is 65 years old and is the 17th best economy in the world as we speak according to the oecd. but, as we go towards a completely capitalistic society from a past socialistic society and economy, the disparity between the rich and poor will grow exponentially. there is a huge flood of millionaires in israel through the feats of it and high tech industries. but those also come at the expenses of the less fortunate. ours is a country in progress. that is all.

Haredim phenomenon aside, it's not that everyone is poor. It's just that everything is unacceptably expensive. A big several room house with a garden costs 5 times less abroad than a small 3 room apartment in an ugly 4 floor block. A car isn't that far off in price either.

That work. their poverty is a result of the policies of the Histadrut and the government, who prefer the employment of foreign workers and slave wages and conditions for locals. Hotels that have turn overs of 100's of percents of workers per year is a prime example.

Once upon a time there was a piggish capitalist who created a huge deficiit that rewarded a tiny percentage of his followers at the expense of the majority of the people. And then came along a self-professed "baby" piggish capitalist who promised utopia for the middle class while the OECD politely pointed out that we have the highest poverty levels of the member states plus the 5th highest income differential. And the Fools vote in the Pigs time after time after time again. And the Fools live happily ever after

It really is amazing that intelligent Jews could be so dumb when it comes to over-the-top socialism and the ridiculous, abusive taxes. These leftists are too worried [about their egos] of being wrong and can't connect the obvious dots!

Recent figures just published revealed that students who attend schools run by the Shas cult have the lowest grades in the country. They refuse to teach students the basic subjects thus ensuring another generation have no chance what so ever of joining the job market and becoming productive members of society, As is the way of such religious cults who benefit from producing another generation of uneducated young people who cant think for themselves as they know only to well this is the best way to control their flock.

due to the upcoming attack on irun, the economic decline in the northern hemisphere & the growing Jewish and arob population within and next to the inevitable expansion of Israel in Judea & Sumaria.

20% SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN LIVE ON PEANUT BUTTER AND CHEEZE WASHED DOWN WITH COOL AID .THE ONLY REAL MEAL IS SERVED AT SCHOOL LUNCH .AND THIS IS A FACT

Sharp reality check.

The OECD should exclude the haredim, most of whom don't work, from the report, and then let's see where Israel would rank in poverty. It wouldn't make the top 10.

I came to Israel in '68 for two years and back again in '78 and lived here ever since. I have seen the rapid growth of the economy and wealth of the people. I can not believe this report. It is fabricated based of misleading data.

Please show a nation where your Marxist-Leninist Utopia did not cause extreme poverty and social decay. Pay a visit to the old East Block countries to learn. Even E. Germany - the richest communist country- manufactured cars made of paper (Trabant). Go to Cuba, the dreamland of the American Communists to see the truth. How 'bout your sugar daddy, the robber capitalist Soros and Harvey Weinstein of Hollywood whose $$ millions support your demigod, Obama? Those are the "good" leftist plutocrats, but Romney is "bad" person. We got you. You Bolsheviks are hopeless ever since Lenin acquired power.