Israel Faces 11% Price Surge Since Government Formation, Second Most Expensive Big Mac Globally

Since the current Israeli government was formed, consumer prices have surged by 11%, with food prices alone rising 15%, according to data from the Berl Katznelson Foundation and the Knesset research. Despite promises to dismantle monopolies included in the government's foundational guidelines, the Finance Minister has not taken action to break up any monopolies during his tenure.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged free education for children aged zero to three, a promise that remains unfulfilled as private kindergarten fees continue to climb without improvement in service quality. Meanwhile, fuel prices have remained relatively stable over the past four years, increasing only slightly from 8.07 to 8.08 shekels per liter.

Internationally, Israel ranks as the second most expensive country for a McDonald's Big Mac, trailing only Switzerland, according to The Economist's Big Mac Index. This high cost of living contrasts with the government's limited activity in addressing these economic challenges. The "Cost of Living Cabinet," established by Netanyahu to tackle these issues, has convened rarely since the government's inception, highlighting a gap between governmental promises and actual measures taken to ease the financial burden on Israeli citizens.