“Yediot Ahronot”: Every third child in Israel below poverty line

[Herschel]

The “Yediot Ahronot” Hebrew daily reports that tens of thousands of children have joined the ranks of the poor, and are suffering from malnutrition, inadequate clothing, and a lack of textbooks.
The National Insurance Institute said that the number of poor children in Israel had reached 600,000 for the first time, signaling that almost every third child in Israel was below the poverty line. The number of poor families has jumped to 350,000, compared with 319,000 in the preceding year. The number of poor people now stands at 1.3 million, compared with 1.1 million in the preceding year.

The figures were included in the National Insurance Institute’s annual report on poverty, to be published next month. The figures are for 2002, and the National Insurance Institute fears that the figures for 2003 will be even worse, due to the harsh economic measures, including the cuts in child allowances. “Israel is on the way to becoming the country with the highest poverty rate in the Western world,” the report warned.

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http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=735660&fid=942

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We see how Israel suffers from the terror. It is also clear strong aid to Israel is vital.

[Darranar]

1. This is how good Sharon's policies are for Israel!

Strong aid to Israel is not vital at all, since lots of people around the world are far, far, far, far, below the poverty line and are still falling. Why don't we transfer some of our foreign aid to them?

[Saudade]

2. We see

We see how Israel suffers, not only economically, but also politically, morally and existentially by financing illegal settlements and a 36 year military occupation. Israel is committing national suicide under Sharon who has failed every every single respect as a leader.

[Herschel]

3. Israel defendes herself

in a sea of enemies. American must support a beacon of democracy in a troubled region.

[Saudade]

4. So original

"American must support a beacon of democracy in a troubled region."

So original, so thoughtful, so deep, you must be stealing these lines from GW Bush.

Really, I have no idea how someone can repeat this sort of third rate cliche ad nauseum without embarrassment.

[Resistance]

5. LOL

you're so right, saudade

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Herschel]

9. He speaks the truth

Palestinians will not have a state until the terror ceases. The back of Palestinian resistance must be broken.

[Forkboy]

6. This will help you get through the cliches

Just picture some comic book villian like Doctor Doom speaking them :)

[Herschel]

8. Perhaps you object

because it is the truth. What do you dispute?

[Darranar]

10. That Israel is a "beacon of democracy"...

that it is in a sea of enemies, and that America needs to support it.

It isn't a beacon of democracy. A democracy it may be, but it makes no effort whatsoever to promote democratic values in the Middle East and sometimes fails to within its own country.

It isn't in a sea of enemies. The last Arab-Israeli war was 1973; since then, only the campaign of destruction in Lebanon and its aftermath has occured between Israel and the Arab countries in the form of warfare.

America certainly does not need to support a campaign of ethnic cleansing and oppression in the West Bank.

[Herschel]

11. Then you agree it is a democracy

in a troubled region. She is also a reliable ally. Most countries in the region are hostile. Israel's strength keeps enemies away. America supports her well. Other nations also recieve support.

[Darranar]

12. Personally...

I think countries which stood against the Iraq war and attack American foreign policy regularly are better allies then those who cooperate with a radical right-wing cabal which seized power in a coup in 2000.

Israel's strength keeps enemies away? I think it has a lot more to do with oil then Israel.

[drewb]

13. Get to work you FUCKING DUMMIES...

Gotta pay them taxes so they can be sent to "little Israel"...

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Fuck off.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Baloney

This looks like the typical result of rightwing politics to me.

Bush is a rightwing politician. Reagan was a rightwing politician. What happened under both? Child poverty increased.

Sharon is a rightwing politician. Child poverty in Isreal increases. Does anybody see a pattern?

Now, it is true that government expeditures diverted from public health towards security exacerbate the problem. However, that would indicate that General Sharon might do better to end the problem by reaching a just settlement than continuing to crush resistance to occupation that will never end as long as there is an occupation of foreign land.

Sharon has good reason to defend Israeli citizens from terrorisim. However, it is disengenuious to blame Palestinians for problems that are inherent with the kind of boneheaded rightwing politics that General Sharon would pursue in any case.

Israel would do better to rid herself of Sharon, his ilk and the plague they bring on the Israeli people.