Layoffs climb to three-year high as job market takes hit

The number of layoffs in July reached a three-year high with 16,084 people losing their jobs, according to figures released by the Israeli Employment Service on Tuesday.

Of those who lost their jobs, 7,497 were men and 8,587 were women.

The hardest-hit cities were Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with 1,072 and 803 job losses, respectively.

The total number of unemployed in Israel rose by half a percent in July compared to June, reaching a total of 187,200 job seekers.

Those looking for work have fewer options compared to the same period last year. The Israeli Employment Service registered 23,400 job offers during July 2012 (compared to 22,500 in June), 2,400 fewer than the 25,800 in July 2011.