24.4 percent of the Israeli population under poverty line

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - A new study has shown that about 24.4 percent of the Israeli population, including 837,000 children, lived under the poverty line in 2010. The report, released by the Israeli National Insurance Institute on Friday, indicated that one in four Israelis or about 1.77 million people lived in poverty last year, AFP reported. Tel Aviv has one of the highest poverty rates among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In terms of income equality, Israel has one of the largest gaps between the rich and the poor in the OECD. The Israeli army recently said in a report that more than 30,000 military forces need economic aid in the occupied lands. Israeli cities have recently been the scene of massive protests against the cabinet of Premier Benjamin Netanyahu during the past months. The demonstrators have been voicing their protest at the rising costs of living, injustice, social inequality and official corruption in Israel./129