News Analysis: Israel at 64 facing stiff foreign and domestic challenges (4)
News Analysis: Israel at 64 facing stiff foreign and domestic challenges (4)
15:34, May 05, 2011 
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A DIVIDED SOCIETY
Stuart Cohen from the Begin-Sadat Center at Bar-Ilan University believes that the top challenge facing Israel will be to unite its society, as he sees gaps growing between different sectors of the populace.
The chasm, according to Cohen, isn't only between the country's Jewish and Arab citizens.
According to a recent report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which granted Israel membership last year, the Israeli economy is growing fast, as well as the societal gaps.
The economy grew by 7.8 percent in 2010, faster than the United States, Britain or France. However, Israel also has a poverty rate of 19.9 percent compared with the OECD average of 10.9 percent.
The report also notes that almost 50 percent of Israelis find it difficult to live on their income, while the average for all the other member states is 24 percent.
Two groups in particular stand out when looking at underprivileged Israelis, one is the Arab population, where unemployment is especially high among women. The second is the ultra orthodox Jewish sector, where the overwhelming majority of men dedicate their lives to religious studies and live off government grants.
Cohen said that he doesn't see any political initiatives on the horizon capable of bridging the gaps.
Source: Xinhua
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Stuart Cohen from the Begin-Sadat Center at Bar-Ilan University believes that the top challenge facing Israel will be to unite its society, as he sees gaps growing between different sectors of the populace.
The chasm, according to Cohen, isn't only between the country's Jewish and Arab citizens.
According to a recent report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which granted Israel membership last year, the Israeli economy is growing fast, as well as the societal gaps.
The economy grew by 7.8 percent in 2010, faster than the United States, Britain or France. However, Israel also has a poverty rate of 19.9 percent compared with the OECD average of 10.9 percent.
The report also notes that almost 50 percent of Israelis find it difficult to live on their income, while the average for all the other member states is 24 percent.
Two groups in particular stand out when looking at underprivileged Israelis, one is the Arab population, where unemployment is especially high among women. The second is the ultra orthodox Jewish sector, where the overwhelming majority of men dedicate their lives to religious studies and live off government grants.
Cohen said that he doesn't see any political initiatives on the horizon capable of bridging the gaps.
Source: Xinhua
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（Editor：燕勐）
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