Suicide rates increase highly among Israeli troops

Suicide rates have recently witnessed a more rapid increase among Zionist troops than in the few decades.

A new Israeli Health Ministry report suggests there has been a moderate rise in the number of suicide attempts in Occupied Palestine in recent years.

In 2008, emergency treatment wards in local hospitals reported 4,510 suicide attempts, a 4 percent rise from 2007. On average the number of reported attempts between 2004-2008 stood at 4,300 per year, a 19 percent increase compared to the 1999-2002 year.

Among males, a third of suicide attempts are by youths and young men up to the age of 24; among women who try to take their lives, half are up to the age of 24. The highest incidence of attempts involving men and women is among 19 year-olds.

In 2008, 1,143 young women and 638 young men were hospitalized after attempting suicide.

The rate of suicide increases with age: 6 suicides per 100,000 Israeli residents aged 15-25, compared to 12 per 100,000 for those aged 75 and above.

During the past decade there was a rise in the number of young women, up to the age of 24, who committed suicide, but the figures stabilized by 2007.

Among women, 34 percent hanged themselves, 21 percent jumped to their deaths, 9 percent used poison and 8 percent used a weapon.

Analysis over a decade suggests that the highest proportion of suicides occurs between May and July. For men, the highest figures are for the months of July, May, January and September; for women, January, May, September and August.