1 in 4 "Israelis" poor despite massive international aid

For the first time in ten years, the National Insurance Institute's poverty report, presented Sunday by Welfare Minister MK Isaac Hertzog, indicates a decline in the level of poverty in ‘Israel'.

The number of poverty stricken people has dropped from 1,674,800 in February 2007 to the current 1,630,400. This accounts for a decrease of 44,000, and a poverty level of 23.8 percent for 2007 as opposed to last year's 24.5 percent.

The report indicates a very slight general improvement that is mainly due to the rise in the number of employees in the economy and the increase in payment that was registered in 2007.

The number of poverty stricken children has decreased for the first time in years, falling from 35.8 percent to 34.2 percent. The number of poor children this year is 774,000, says the report, whereas the previous report published in February this year presented a higher number of 804,000.

The number of poverty stricken elderly has grown from 21.5 percent to 22.6 percent. The decrease in 2007 of unequal income distribution continued this year and registered 2.3 percent.

The number of poor families has also slightly dropped from 20 percent to 19.9 percent, which accounts for 412,900 families. The Poverty rate of families with one or two providers decreased from 12.4 percent to 12.2 percent.

The poverty line for a two member family is a NIS 3,350 monthly income, a NIS 5,350 monthly income for a 5 member family and a NIS 7,100 monthly income for a six member family.