OECD

New Study Finds Israeli Teachers Rank Low in OECD Skill Comparison

A Shoresh study shows Israeli teachers rank 16th out of 19 OECD countries in literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills, with notable gaps in education levels and within Israe…

Israeli Treasury Proposes Scandinavian-Style Education Reform Amid Internal Disputes

The Israeli Treasury plans a major education reform inspired by Scandinavian models, shifting budgeting and school management to local authorities to improve outcomes. The proposa…

Rising Far-Right Threat in Germany Alarms Jewish Community Ahead of Regional Elections

Felix Klein warns that a strong showing by Germany's far-right AfD party in upcoming regional elections could drive Jewish families to emigrate amid rising antisemitism. He calls…

Israel Must Restore Education Ministry's Authority to Ensure Equal Schooling

Israel's education system, funded with 97 billion shekels and serving over 2.5 million students, suffers from fragmented authority among the Ministry of Education, local authoriti…

Israeli Tax Experts Warn Broad Tax Incentives Create Unfair Competition Amid Calls for Reform

Ahead of a major tax forum, Israeli tax experts criticized the complexity and unfairness of current tax incentives and the trapped profits reform, calling for clearer rules and ta…

Israel Ranks Last in Education Spending Efficiency Among Developed Countries

Israel spends the highest share of GDP on education among developed countries but ranks last in spending efficiency based on PISA test results. Despite reforms, Israeli students p…

Israel Faces Shortage of 5,000 Teachers, Education Union Chief Warns

Israel Launches School Year With $97 Billion Budget Amid Persistent Education Challenges

Israel starts the 2023-2024 school year with a $97 billion education budget amid ongoing challenges like teacher shortages, special education issues, and early childhood gaps. The…

Slovenia Reopens to Israeli Tourists Amid Diplomatic Thaw and Safety Boost

Slovenia has restored diplomatic ties with Israel, reopening to Israeli tourists with the first permanent Israeli embassy set to open in Ljubljana in September 2026. Ranked fourth…

Report Reveals Overcrowded Infant Daycares and Economic Burden on Israeli Parents

A report by "Good Hands" reveals that Israeli infant daycares are overcrowded, underfunded, and impose a heavy financial burden on parents compared to OECD countries. The study ca…

Report Reveals Israel’s Early Childhood Education Lags Behind OECD with Critical Funding and Quality Gaps

A report by the "In Good Hands" coalition reveals Israel’s early childhood education suffers from severe underfunding and quality gaps compared to OECD countries, with only $1,225…

Bennett Faces Criticism Over Unrealistic Promises to Cut Cost of Living by 30%

Naftali Bennett promises a 30% cut in food prices by dismantling monopolies, but critics call his plans unrealistic given Israel's economic challenges and his limited past achieve…

Ramat Gan City Council Member Maya Plumbum Joins Yisrael Beiteinu Party

Maya Plumbum, Ramat Gan city council member and immigration portfolio holder, has joined Yisrael Beiteinu, praising leader Avigdor Lieberman. The party noted her background in pub…

Israel's Environmental Impact Assessments Face Calls for Strategic Reform and Broader Evaluation

Israel's Ministry of Environmental Protection explains the role and limitations of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) in development projects. While EIAs assess environmental…

Economic Analyst Sabar Flowsker Highlights Israel's Growth and Inflation Control Under Smotrich

Economic analyst Sabar Flowsker reports strong Israeli economic growth, controlled inflation, rising real wages, and a reduced budget deficit under Minister Bezalel Smotrich, caut…

Israel Sees High Employment Rates Among Seniors Over 70, Driven by Experience and Economic Factors

In Israel, a significant portion of men and women over 65 continue working, with many men employed past 70, especially in security and education sectors. Most older workers have l…

Israel Invests Heavily in Medical Innovation but Struggles to Integrate It Locally

Israel invests billions annually in medical innovation but faces significant challenges integrating new technologies into its healthcare system due to budget constraints and compl…

Israeli Municipalities Must Prove Efficiency Before Raising Property Taxes

Israeli local authorities plan significant property tax increases for 2027, including automatic and exceptional hikes. Critics demand municipalities prove efficiency before approv…

Israeli Economy Surges Post-War but Relies Heavily on One Company

Israel's economy rebounded sharply in Q2 2026 with 15.4% GDP growth, driven largely by Nvidia's foreign production, but half-year growth is modest at 3.2%. Excluding Nvidia's impa…

Economic Deep State in Israel Drives High Living Costs Through Regulation and Market Concentration

Professor Moshe Cohen-Eliyahu reveals that Israel's high living costs stem from an entrenched economic deep state of regulation, market concentration, and interest groups. This sy…

Israel Faces Massive Security Budget Gap Amid Political and Economic Challenges

Israel's defense budget demand for 2026 has surged to 183 billion shekels, far above the approved 112 billion, driven by expanded military responsibilities and equipment needs. Po…

Early Childhood Education Faces Severe Staff Shortages, Thousands of Infants Denied Subsidized Care

Israel's early childhood education sector faces a critical shortage of 3,500-4,000 caregivers, leaving over 20,000 infants without subsidized daycare this year. The caregiver-to-i…

Removing Tuna Can Tariffs Cuts Consumer Prices by Only 1.1% in Israel

Israel's removal of import tariffs on tuna cans has led to only a slight 1.1% decrease in consumer prices, with market concentration remaining high and local production declining…

Rising Income Inequality in Israel Risks Social Unrest Amid War and Economic Strain

A 2026 Adva Center report warns that Israel’s rising income inequality and underfunded public services amid ongoing war and economic pressures risk social unrest and welfare state…

Children Engage in Digital Economy Early, But Schools Lag Behind in Financial Education

Children today engage with digital money from a young age, using apps and digital wallets without fully understanding financial concepts. While many countries introduce financial…

Jonathan Tzvikel Appointed New Legal Advisor of Israel's Competition Authority

Jonathan Tzvikel has been appointed as the new legal advisor of Israel's Competition Authority, replacing Yael Sheinin. Tzvikel has extensive experience within the authority and w…

MK Bitan’s Claim on OECD Food VAT Rates Is Inaccurate, Experts Say

MK David Bitan proposed reducing Israel’s VAT on basic food to 8%, claiming OECD countries have similar rates. However, only half of OECD countries have VAT rates that low on food…

Israel Faces Severe Midwife Shortage Impacting Maternal and Infant Care

Israel faces a critical shortage of midwives, with a 20% deficit in staffing leading to compromised care for mothers and newborns. Despite 150 new midwives graduating annually, in…

Israel Faces Waste Crisis Amidst Government Disputes Over New National Waste Authority

Israel's Ministry of Environmental Protection and Ministry of Finance are locked in disputes over establishing a national waste authority, delaying critical waste treatment projec…

Israeli Supreme Court Rules Professionals Must Verify AI Outputs, Not Blame Technology for Errors

The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that professionals must verify AI-generated information and cannot blame AI for errors, emphasizing individual responsibility. With 57% of Israeli…

Israel Rises to Second Most Expensive Country in Big Mac Index Amid High Living Costs

Israel climbed to second place worldwide in The Economist's Big Mac Index, reflecting high food and living costs driven by regulation and limited competition. Economic analyst Rik…

Israeli Salaries Vary Widely by Sector Despite Long Working Hours and Limited Vacation

In Israel, significant wage disparities exist across sectors, with the electricity supply sector leading in pay. Israelis work longer hours and have fewer vacation days than OECD…

Israeli Workers Earn Less Than Average Amid Long Hours and Sector Disparities

Data from early 2025 shows Israeli workers face wide wage gaps across sectors, with electricity and high-tech paying the most. Israelis work longer hours and have fewer vacation d…

Intel Engineer Pioneers Arab Inclusion in Israeli High-Tech Amid Industry Challenges

Fadi Abud, a senior Arab engineer at Intel from Nazareth, leads global processor development while championing Arab inclusion in Israeli high-tech. Overcoming early cultural and l…

Arab Media Highlights Key Issues Shaping Israel's October Elections

Ahead of Israel's October elections, key issues include probing the 2023 Hamas attack failures, ultra-Orthodox military service exemptions, and economic challenges. Netanyahu's go…

AI Workforce Orchestrators Emerge as Key Managers in Hybrid Human-AI Workplaces

A new managerial role, Workforce Orchestrator, is emerging to oversee hybrid human-AI workforces as AI agents take on complex business tasks. This shift requires redesigning workf…

Bank of Israel Urged to Lower Interest Rates Amid Sharp Inflation Drop

With inflation falling to 1.6%, Israel's economy shows strong resilience despite war and fiscal challenges. Experts call on the Bank of Israel to lower interest rates to support g…

AI Disruption Threatens Israeli Workforce and Economy, Experts Warn

AI-driven changes in Israel's labor market are causing significant unemployment among older workers, with inadequate government training programs exacerbating the issue. Experts w…

Saudi Arabia Leads Global Tourism Surge While Israel Sees Sharpest Decline

Between 2019 and 2025, Saudi Arabia leads global tourism growth with a 67% increase, driven by Vision 2030 reforms. In contrast, Israel suffers a 71% drop in international visitor…

Israel Drops From 3rd to 20th in OECD Academic Attainment Rankings

Israel has fallen from 3rd to 20th place in OECD rankings for academic degree attainment among young adults, due to slower growth and persistent educational disparities among popu…

Democrats Hold Transparent Primaries but Call for Broader Voter Influence in Israel

The Israeli Democratic Party held transparent primaries with 114,000 members voting online to select candidates, a more open process than most parties. However, only a fraction of…

Israel’s 2026 Growth Forecasts Range Between 3.1% and 4.2%, Not 5% as Claimed

Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat claimed a 5% economic growth for 2026, but forecasts from major institutions predict a more moderate 3.1% to 4.2% growth this year, with 5% gro…

Israel’s Finance Ministry Plans to Cut Green Tax Benefits, Raising Plug-In Vehicle Prices from 2027

Israel’s Finance Ministry plans to revise the pollution formula for green tax benefits starting in 2027, reducing subsidies for plug-in hybrid vehicles. This change responds to ri…

Israel Faces Challenges in Fully Implementing Long School Day Law Amid Criticism

Israel’s Long School Day law, enacted in 1997 to extend learning hours and reduce educational gaps, remains only partially implemented due to high costs and mixed results. Critics…

Israel’s Environmental Sustainability Declines Despite Some Improvements, New Report Shows

Israel’s 2024 Sustainability Capital Index report reveals significant environmental degradation despite some improvements, highlighting declines in biodiversity, persistent air po…

Israeli Social Security Deputy CEO Denies Families Exploit Autism Benefits Amid Rising Diagnoses

Zvika Cohen, Deputy CEO of Israel's National Insurance Institute, claimed some families seek autism diagnoses mainly to obtain benefits amid rising cases. Families and advocates s…

Israel Considers Revising Autism Support Model Amid Fivefold Increase in Diagnosed Children

Israel faces a fivefold increase in children diagnosed with autism, prompting government review of support systems. Current benefits and services are strained, leading to proposal…

Israel's Public Health System Shows Shorter MRI and Elective Surgery Wait Times Than Other Countries

Israel's Ministry of Health report reveals shorter wait times for MRI scans and selected elective surgeries compared to other OECD countries, despite regional disparities. Major h…