Israeli report reveals disparities between Jews, non-Jews

The Israeli government has failed to reduce disparities between Jewish and non-Jewish groups, a new report from State Comptroller Yosef Shapira revealed yesterday.

The report slammed the Israeli government’s failures in several areas including education, reserve military duty, corruption and benefits payments.

Radio Israel reported that Shapira’s report revealed serious shortages in kindergartens in Bedouin areas and that the curriculum there was not checked culturally or linguistically.

Further, the report said: “Thousands of children are exposed to sexual or physical violence on an annual basis, without providing psychological help to them in the children’s shelters.”

Shapira called on the interior minister to examine the high number of arrests, especially because half of those arrested are released within three days without any charges.

The report also highlighted the deteriorating conditions in hospitals which limit their ability to give patients appropriate medical treatment.

It also criticised the way the health sector budgets are managed and the recurring crises in hospital budgets.

The report concluded that as a result of poor coordination between the Israeli ministries, several laws passed by the Knesset are not enforced.