'Gov't Can't Rely on Us'

An Israeli charity organization says the government cannot leave the issue of helping the poor to the nonprofit sector alone.

Hana Levi Julian and Yoni Kempinski

Published: Nov 3, 2009, 4:09 PM (GMT+2)

Updated: 15:58

Inside Israel Business & Economy

Some 1,651,300 Israelis live below the poverty line, according to the Annual Poverty Report of the National Insurance Institute published on Monday. That figure includes 783,600 children. Israel National News TV discussed the report with Dr. Shlomit Shulov Barkan, Deputy General Director of the Meir Panim Charity Organization.

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Barkan said that the numbers aren't surprising, and that the fact that the percentage of those living below the poverty line actually declined slightly to 23.7% is not enough to give reason for optimism.

Barkan said she is demanding that the government not leave the treatment of the poor to the "third sector" (non-for-profit organizations). "There should be an emergency government plan," she said determinedly.

The charity director explained that the worldwide recession was felt especially in regards to a decline in donations from philanthropists from throughout the world and that the improvement and ending of the recision will not really improve the poverty situation in any significant way.