A happy-looking Binyamin Netanyahu
A happy-looking Binyamin NetanyahuYonatan Sindel/Flash 90

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is happy that Israelis are happy, as reported over the weekend in the annual World Happiness Report.

“The happiness level is due to a long list of actions that we have undertaken, including reducing unemployment, raising the minimum wage, and ensuring high growth for the Israeli economy," he said.

Netanyahu's comment refers to the positive results for Israel in a report that purports to show how happy people are. Out of about 150 countries surveyed, residents of Israel came out to be the eleventh happiest people on earth in the report, issued by the UN committee dealing with happiness and well-being.

Israel thus outranks the US, UK, and numerous European countries.

“I am happy that our efforts are making a difference in the personal lives of Israelis,” Netanyahu said. “They are satisfied and proud of their country. As I have promised, we will continue to lower the cost of living and solve the housing crisis.”

Many have argued the housing crisis could be solved by developing Judea and Samaria, a region reportedly over 90% unpopulated, and which has been hit by a covert construction freeze against Jews by Netanyahu's government since late 2013.

Just outranking the Jewish state in the report, the world's top 10 happiest last year were Switzerland, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, New Zealand, and Australia. 

The US ranked at #15 - behind Israel, Costa Rica, Australia, and Mexico - and the UK ranked at #21.

The "Palestinian territories" were also included for the list and ranked far down the list at #108 - two spots above Iran, at #110. The United Arab Emirates is the happiest of Arab countries, at #20.  Bottoming out the list are Chad, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Afghanistan, Rwanda, Benin, Syria, Burundi, and Togo.  Israel has jumped three spots since 2012, when it first ranked at #14.