The war exposed Israel’s greatest social vulnerability - opinion

For decades, Israel has ranked among the poorest countries in the OECD. What was once seen as a chronic problem has now become a structural challenge of unprecedented scale and gravity, threatening the foundations of Israeli society. As usual, the most vulnerable populations are hit the hardest.

But these figures tell a deeper story, one that goes far beyond statistics.

When the government faltered, millions of Israelis mobilized, launching thousands of grassroots initiatives to support displaced families, soldiers, and vulnerable communities. This solidarity was not only morally right; it proved to be one of Israel’s greatest strategic assets. The lesson is now clear: social cohesion is not a luxury: it is a necessity for national resilience.

Second, these numbers finally shatter the long-standing illusion of Israel as a welfare state. On paper, Israel has social welfare programs similar to those found in Europe. In practice, however, the level of support they provide, and the number of people they reach, falls dramatically short. The conclusion is unavoidable: Israel’s social safety net is weak.

The final, and perhaps most decisive, question is funding. For more than two decades, Israeli leaders have justified inaction on poverty by pointing to a lack of resources. The war has rendered that argument obsolete. Faced with an existential military threat, Israel mobilized enormous financial resources without undermining its economic stability.

In 2013, the government established the Elalouf Commission to recommend a comprehensive national strategy for combating poverty and inequality. Its conclusion was unequivocal: NIS 8b. per year would be sufficient to bring Israel’s poverty rates closer to those of other OECD countries. That sum represents just 3% of current war-related spending.

The question, then, is no longer whether Israel can afford to fight poverty: It is whether it chooses to.

This is the moment to declare war on poverty and to return to the values of Zionism, which viewed social justice not as an afterthought, but as a founding principle.

Our organization strives to make a difference and create a social impact. It means providing immediate, daily help to vulnerable populations, both in routine times and in times of emergency, while simultaneously working to create a better future. And we are not alone. Last year, more than 40,000 volunteers joined us, choosing action over indifference, and responsibility over resignation.

Poverty cannot remain a set of painful statistics that briefly discomforts us before we turn the page. It must be met with action: systematic, sustained, and national. And not only by organizations like Latet, but by policymakers and leaders committed to a society in which children and the elderly are never forced to wonder if, or when, their next meal will come.

At this moment in Israel’s history, standing with the most vulnerable is not charity: It is an expression of solidarity and a choice about the kind of society we are determined to build.