A Macro Perspective of Israel’s Society and Economy

However, Israel entered the recession in a relatively good economic state and appears to also be coming out of the crisis relatively quickly. Israel is returning to long-term paths that have characterized the country for decades, paths that are not sustainable in the long run. Rapid demographic processes are at work within Israel, reflected in a steadily growing part of Israeli society that is not equipped with either the tools or the conditions to cope successfully in a modern economy. This chapter highlights the Israeli anomaly in terms of prospects and risks and proposes a strategic plan for systemic reform that can produce a turnaround.

This paper appears in the Center’s annual publication State of the Nation Report – Society, Economy and Policy 2009.