In Tel Aviv, they say despite rising prices, you can't find parking or a restaurant table. The subtext is clear: stop bothering us about the cost of living. Everyone's doing fine and living well.
But when you look beyond the Tel Aviv bubble, there are days when it becomes hard to breathe. Like earlier this week, when the annual poverty report from Latet organization was released alongside data from ELEM Youth in Distress. The findings show that 40% of children – about 1.25 million – live in poverty. Nearly a quarter of Israeli families are classified as poor, with approximately 700,000 families – about 30% of the population – living below the poverty line.
The report's figures mirror last year's data, which is even more concerning. This means that even before the severe impact of the war, which has led to price increases across all sectors, these families were already struggling. This is even before the VAT increase from 17% to 18%, which will have dramatic consequences for these families, taking a significant portion of their already meager income. The data suggests that this year too, the state won't find resources to assist these impoverished families.
Alongside the data about spreading poverty across growing segments of society, this week also saw the release of findings from Elem, based on 3,000 youth under their care.
The statistics from the months following the October 2023 massacre are deeply troubling. We're losing an entire generation. Some 45% of these young people, both girls and boys, consume alcohol, 26% reported using illegal substances, and 47% of girls experience feelings of loneliness and anxiety. Additionally, 35% of boys reported depression. About 12,000 of them are at risk of dropping out of school.
Alongside these disturbing statistics, the impact of general tension affecting the entire population is evident. The direct result – a rise in violence. Some 20% of youth reported experiencing violence in public spaces.
Yet instead of addressing these fundamental issues, our ministers are declaring war on the justice system, threatening to revive the controversial judicial reform, pushing out the attorney general, raising taxes, fighting to exempt significant portions of the population from military service, and seeking budgets for the wrong priorities at the expense of addressing our precious youth who continue to spiral downward.
These threats have an impact, as Israeli judges don't exist in a vacuum. They hear these voices, and even if they won't admit it, they're concerned and may unconsciously act according to the prevailing political winds. Take the case of the flare launchers at the protest near the prime minister's residence in Caesarea. It was an unnecessary, illegal, and foolish act. On Monday, the Haifa District Court held a hearing regarding three suspects, including a reserve brigadier general, who have been detained for a month. They were indicted on charges of reckless acts, terrorism, and attempted arson. The day before that, MK Gilad Kariv visited them. After the visit, they were required to strip and undergo a body search. On Monday, the judge decided to keep them in custody until Dec. 26, when he will decide whether to release them to house arrest or detain them until the end of proceedings.
Friends, we've lost all sense of proportion.
Address the real problems before it's too late.
