More than 400 Israelis commit suicide every year

Official data from the Israeli Knesset show that more than 400 Israelis commit suicide every year. According to the figures, the phenomenon has increased in recent years.

On Tuesday the Israeli Knesset held a special plenary session to discuss the problem and approved a national plan for the prevention of suicide.

The Knesset’s study centre found that the number of Israelis committing suicide each year increased from 290 in 2007 to 431 in 2010.

Furthermore, more recent data show that since 2010, around 400 Israelis have committed suicide every year, most of them men. More than 90 per cent of them suffered psychological strains, including 60 per cent suffering from depression.

According to the data, suicide has both direct and indirect effects on the Israeli economy. The direct cost is estimated to be around 100 million Israeli new shekels, and indirectly amounts to between 2 and 2.5 billion, including hospital services, insurance, police investigations and other related costs.

Israel’s Health Minister Yael German explained that the goal of the Knesset discussion is to achieve a 20 per cent decrease in the suicide rate.