Signs of the Times

Poverty in Jerusalem

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The sight of a man and his dog sleeping outside a fashion shop on Ben Yehuda Street is one more manifestation of the fact that in Jerusalem the economic situation is about twice as bad as in the rest of the country. The few coins by his right hand tell little about this man as an individual. Begging in Jerusalem has always been part of the city’s life, but it does not tell the entire story. There are fewer jobs in Jerusalem than in the rest of the country. Poverty in Israel’s largest city has increased very dramatically in the past eight years. Although there are many different criteria for measuring poverty, there has been about a 40% increase in the numbers of Jerusalemites who are regarded as being below the official poverty threshold. In 2006, the average monthly income for a worker in Jerusalem was half as much as a similar worker in Tel Aviv.

64% Want Temple Rebuilt

{image_1}About two-thirds of the Israeli public want the Temple rebuilt, including about half of secular Israelis, a new survey conducted for Ynetnews and the Gesher organization revealed. Initially, the respondents were asked what happened on Tisha B’Av [Ninth of Av, day of mourning over the destruction of the Temples, this year on July 30], and showed impressive knowledge. Only 2% said they did not know.

Israel’s Economy Sinking

{image_1}The Israeli economy is now officially in recession. The world economic crisis has caught up with Israel, and the next few months will tell whether [ Israel Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government has the ability to deal with it. In May, the government approved an economic “package deal” hammered out in concert with the trade unions and employers’ representatives that commentators described as a 180-degree reversal of Netanyahu’s economic promises during the election.

32 Million Jews Today If Not for Holocaust

On Holocaust Memorial Day (April 21), Hebrew University announced that as many as 32 million Jews would be alive today had the Holocaust never happened. Some estimates say there are less than half that many Jews currently alive.

Russian Roulette with Hamas

{image_1}Russia continues to send mixed signals in its dealings with Hamas. As a member of the Quartet (the UN, the EU, the US, and Russia), Moscow is a signatory to the decision not to have any dealings with Hamas until it fulfills three conditions: recognition of Israel, renouncing terror, and agreeing to be bound by past agreements signed between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Call to Reexamine Two-state Solution

{image_1}An American plan to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict within two years may lead to the establishment of “Hamastan in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria],” Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Yaalon said during an event at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The peace process may take up to five years, Yaalon said, adding that “instant peace” will fail because of realities on the ground. The minister called for a reexamination of some basic assumptions underlying the peace process, including the two-state vision ostensibly being the only viable solution, and the perception that Israel's “occupation” and settlement activity constitute major obstacles for peace.

Israel’s Unemployment on the Rise

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Approximately
20,072 people applied to the Israeli Employment Service
(IES) in March, according to the bureau’s data. February saw
17,830 people apply to the IES, and March of 2008 registered 11,856
applicants. According to the IES, March’s figures set an
all-time high: “The number of people laid off in March
topped,” IES Director-General Yossi Farhi told Ynet. The
bureau’s data also indicated a steady increase in the number
of monthly applicants since the end of 2008, noting that 17,499 people
applied to the IES in December, as opposed to 16,450 in November and
10,688 in October.

Russians Purchase Israeli Drones

{image_1}Russia’s
purchase of Israeli
drone aircraft is not only the
first sale of military equipment to Russia from the Jewish state, but
is the first acquisition of foreign military technology by the Russians
since 1940

777,400 Children among the Poor

THE NATIONAL INSURANCE INSTITUTE'S poverty report published in January showed worrying trends. While the overall number of people living under the poverty line remained relatively stable, the outlook predicted in the report shows their situation will only get worse.

Iran – Israel’s Enemy No.1

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The Israel defense establishment has announced that the State of Israel is under an “existential threat.” In a report to the defense minister, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) singled out Iran as “the No. 1 threat the IDF is now preparing for.” Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi warned that the near-nuclear capabilities, the existing ballistic aptitude, and terror contacts combine to create the Tehran threat. Iran also recently announced it would be upgrading its military ties with Russia.