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In 1997, YEDID (friend in Hebrew) was founded to promote social justice by operating Citizen Rights Centers in poor communities throughout Israel to help Jews and Arabs alike. Its founder, Sari Revkin, says:
The needs of underprivileged Israelis grow monthly, yet the government "seems to sink back into silence. (As a result, we've) been put in the position of doing what the government should be doing, knowing that if we turn people away they will retrench into themselves. Three thousand new people a month come (to us) for help."
Holon-Bat Yam charity manager, Moshe Traube, agrees saying: "Here the rich get richer and poor get poorer. Everyone has to struggle for him or herself alone." Israel's eroded healthcare highlights the problem.
Healthcare in Israel
Israel's 1994 National Health Insurance Law was supposed to guarantee quality care for all Israelis when enacted. That was then. This is now after succeeding governments assured unequal access through inadequate funding, privatized services, and the steady erosion in the extent and quality of services. It's caused the poor and middle class to be increasingly crowded out due to an inability to pay for what use to be free or low cost.
Two healthcare systems are now the norm, as in America, differing markedly in quality - one for the privileged and another for most others. Hospitals are also affected by budget cuts, public ones the most. It shows up in underfunding, overcrowding, early patient releases, less treatment, more illnesses, and fewer staff to handle greater needs. Those who can pay, get everything. For those who can't, it's a disturbing story of unmet needs and an increasingly deplorable situation.
Employment Affected
It also affects employment with weakened unions and labor protections, subcontracted part-time jobs replacing higher-payer full-time ones, fewer benefits, illegal overtime, firings without severance, unpaid leave, illegal deductions and fines, and other assaults on working Israelis, Jewish ones. Israeli Arabs have no rights afforded Jews and are treated like nonpersons, even though they're citizens, have passports and IDs, and can vote in elections.
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