Israel Ranks Fourth Globally in Life Expectancy, OECD Report Finds

JERUSALEM. Israel has secured the fourth position among OECD countries for expected life expectancy, according to a new report by the international organization. The average life expectancy in the country reached 83.8 years, placing Israel alongside global longevity leaders such as Japan, Switzerland, and Spain.

Despite this high achievement, Israel’s healthcare spending remains among the lowest across developed nations, standing at approximately 7.6 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). For comparison, this figure exceeds 12 percent in Germany and is over 11 percent in France.

Experts attribute the success of the Israeli healthcare system to a combination of several factors. These include a low infant mortality rate, a high level of preventative care, and the broad accessibility of primary medical services. Lifestyle also plays a significant role: compared to other OECD countries, Israelis consume less alcohol, suffer less from obesity, and undergo regular medical check-ups more frequently. These factors collectively contribute to a reduction in mortality from cardiovascular and oncological diseases.

However, the report also notes that Israel faces serious challenges. The country’s smoking rate remains relatively high, affecting about 16 percent of the population, and the gap in access to medical services between central regions and the periphery is still noticeable. Furthermore, experts warn that low investment in healthcare may make it difficult to maintain the achieved high results in the future.

The Ministry of Health stated that the report’s findings reflect the effectiveness of the national system but stressed the need to strengthen preventative programs and expand medical infrastructure. According to ministry representatives, while Israel shows outstanding results, maintaining leadership requires continued development of digital medicine and improvement of service quality in the regions.