(Forward) Prof. Robert Cherry - There have been dramatic improvements in the lives of Israel's Arab citizens over the last 15 years. Beginning in 2006, the government funded training programs, improved educational support, subsidized employment, expanded transportation networks and built industrial parks near Arab towns. Funding to rectify imbalances between Jewish and Arab communities has meant that 85% of homes in Arab towns are now connected to modern sewer networks, up from less than 40% in 2015. The employment rate among Arab Israeli women ages 25-54 rose from 21% in the early 2000s to 35% in 2016. In the 2017-2018 academic year, Arab Israelis made up 16% of college students in Israel compared to 8.3% in 1999-2000. The Technion - Israel's MIT - reports that its proportion of Arab students increased by 200% since 2004. Arab Israelis now comprise 17% of the country's doctors, 24% of nurses and 47% of pharmacists. The writer is professor emeritus of economics at Brooklyn College.
2021-03-18 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive