Public health is not a luxury: The national food security plan must be approved immediately

Twenty organizations sent an urgent letter to the Prime Minister demanding approval of the national food security plan, after the vote on it was postponed under pressure from the Finance Ministry. The plan, formulated by the Ministries of Agriculture, Economy, Health, and Environmental Protection, focuses on nutritional justice: increasing consumption of healthy plant-based food and reducing harmful products. Data shows Israel ranks third in the OECD in beef consumption, while vegetable and legume consumption is significantly lower than recommended. The author, a public health expert from Bar-Ilan University, calls for immediate approval.

Twenty different organizations sent an urgent letter to the Prime Minister calling on him to bring the national food security plan to government approval, after the vote on it was postponed at the last minute due to pressure from the Finance Ministry. Among the signatories: Magma Tova, the Israeli Forum for Sustainable Nutrition, "Mazon – A Jewish Response to Hunger," and myself. The plan, formulated by professional bodies in the Ministries of Agriculture, Economy, Health, and Environmental Protection with broad public consultation and input, focuses on nutritional justice: increasing consumption of healthy plant-based food alongside reducing harmful products. Data shows Israel ranks third among OECD countries in per capita beef consumption, while vegetable consumption stands at about half the recommended amount and legume consumption does not even reach a third of it. The author, a senior public health expert at Bar-Ilan University, argues that the plan is a critical foundation for the future of public health in Israel and calls for its immediate approval.