The OECD praised Israel for its Arab community in part because they help create a more skilled workforce that could climb the economic ladder. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – The 34-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) praised Israel’s economy in a recent report, noting that it “weathered the global financial crisis [of 2008-2009] better than most OECD countries” and kept unemployment at “historically low levels.”

Part of the report is dedicated to the integration of Israeli Arabs in the labor market and includes recommendations for the Israeli government. According to the report, the seven government-run employment centers in the Arab community have been a  “welcome development,” in part because they help create a more skilled workforce that could climb the economic ladder.

“Skills are a key route out of poverty, but many disadvantaged groups in Israel have levels of skills attainment well below that of the mainstream Jewish population,” the report noted, adding that for those centers to maximize their potential, the government should “strengthen local policy cooperation and coordination by fostering partnerships that can effectively design and implement employment and skills strategies targeted at Arab-Israelis.”