Israel Isn't "Safest" Place During Pandemic
The Claim
Israel is ranked as the safest country during Coronavirus.
News posted on
Emerging story
Claims that Israel is ranked the “safest” during coronavirus is doing rounds on various social media pages. The Deep Knowledge Group Research Center, which published an article ranking the safest countries in terms of health and economy in dealing with the novel coronavirus, ranked Israel as first. Claims were circulating across the MENA region.
The claim was later circulated on several prominent news sites and social media accounts, such as Deutsche Welle, Israel Hayoum, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's official account.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s investigation found the claim is suspicious. On April 13, Israeli news website Ynet published a statement by an Israeli researcher clarifying that the source of the information and the research center is suspicious and that it is unofficial as an academic institute or a world-renowned research center. Instead, it is only a small investment fund with just 10 employees.
Moreover, data from the Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel report of 2019 indicates that government spending on health is low and that overcrowding and hospital waiting times are high to the OECD rate.
