Cancer rates rise in Israel

It is less widespread among Israelis of Arab origin, the health ministry affirmed. The ministry report published on its website showed that since the year 2000, 100,000 Israelis had developed the disease.

Regarding age and gender, this cancer is more common among Israeli males. The reports showed that one in every 34 men suffer from this form cancer while one in every 50 women of the same age is a sufferer.

On the reasons behind such high rates of skin cancer in Israel, the Israeli Anti-Skin Cancer Association said: "It is the extra time people are exposed to direct sun rays."

The ministry report also showed that skin cancer is much less common among Arabs in Israel with only 21 had having contracted the disease since the beginning of the year compared to 1,370 Jews, 80 per cent of whom were of Western origins.