In this file picture, people shop at a supermarket in the Israeli-occupied city of al-Quds.  (Via Twitter)

Jerusalem, September 23 (RHC)-- A recent report has revealed that hundreds of households living across the Israeli-occupied lands face food insecurity, amid reports that the high cost of living is forcing many Jewish settlers to consider living somewhere else or even returning to their home countries. 

The Hebrew-language daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, citing a report compiled by the Israeli nonprofit aid organization Latet, said one out of every five Israeli families is already suffering from high levels of acute food insecurity.

The report, which comes on the heels of Rosh HaShanah – the Jewish New Year, further underlined that more than one million Israeli children do not have access to food on a regular basis, and that the incumbent administration led by alternate prime minister Yair Lapid has so far failed to address the issue.

According to Latet organization, 680,475 Israeli families suffer from food insecurity while 312,825 families face acute food insecurity.  In the meantime, Hebrew-language daily business newspaper TheMarker argued in an editorial that Israeli politicians are diverting attention from all their broken promises to bring rising prices and cost of living under control.

According to TheMarker, even though polls show that food security is of great importance to Israeli voters, who would cast their ballots in the November 1st legislative elections, conventional political parties do not pay due attention to the rising cost of living, or at least the issue is not a high priority for them.

“Although the Israeli society is nowadays focused on the growing cost of living and openly complains that they are plunging into lower social strata, politicians, in reality, do not have a way out of the problem,” the article read.

Last week, the Hebrew-language Israel Hayom daily newspaper reported that the high cost of living in the Israeli-occupied territories is forcing many Jewish settlers to consider living somewhere else or even returning to their home countries.

According to the report, the bleak economic prospects in Israel have prompted a significant number of Jewish immigrants to think about changing their place of residence.  The immigrants maintain that living in the Israeli-occupied territories is not necessarily their ultimate destiny.

Also, those who have sought for years to immigrate to Israel have now changed their minds and say they are no longer willing to live in a place where prices are prohibitive.

The report went on to say that among the appalling dilemmas that a large number of families are now facing in the occupied lands is that unaffordable prices are no laughing matter, and people should consider turning back to their home countries or moving to another country where the economic situation is fairly stable.

Back in May, a survey of young Israeli adults found that nearly half of the population in the occupied territories is not optimistic about the future of the Israeli entity, while more than one-third of people are thinking about emigration to find jobs and improve their lives.

The Israel Hayom daily newspaper described the findings as “worrying” and wrote that 33% of Israeli youths are considering emigration from the occupied lands. 

Issues such as rising living costs, security situation, and social divisions are among other reasons for young Israeli adults to mull leaving the occupied territories.  The poll also highlighted that 40% of the respondents have cited rising costs for such a potential decision, while 22% of those asked have blamed poor security situation.

Social divisions have been described as the main reason for emigration for 18% of those surveyed.