Consensus-Building
#21Key Findings
Israel falls into the lower-middle ranks (rank 21) with regard to consensus-building.
No formal mechanisms for integrating scientific knowledge into policymaking exist, though consultations with experts frequently occur. In such cases the meetings are often not transparent.
Consultation with employers and unions occurs on an ad hoc rather than institutionalized basis. The government generally avoids such consultation unless the cooperation of labor or capital is required for policy implementation. Social welfare groups provide many welfare services, and thus are deeply involved in many stages of the policymaking process.
Statutory committees handling environmental issues are required to include a representative from an environmental organization. Because this issue is low on the government agenda, politicians often overlook environmental concerns. A government site offers access to quantitative data from various governmental departments and on various subjects.
No formal mechanisms for integrating scientific knowledge into policymaking exist, though consultations with experts frequently occur. In such cases the meetings are often not transparent.
Consultation with employers and unions occurs on an ad hoc rather than institutionalized basis. The government generally avoids such consultation unless the cooperation of labor or capital is required for policy implementation. Social welfare groups provide many welfare services, and thus are deeply involved in many stages of the policymaking process.
Statutory committees handling environmental issues are required to include a representative from an environmental organization. Because this issue is low on the government agenda, politicians often overlook environmental concerns. A government site offers access to quantitative data from various governmental departments and on various subjects.
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To what extent is the government successful in effectively harnessing the best available scientific knowledge for policymaking purposes?
10
9
9
The government is able to harness the best available scientific knowledge for policymaking purposes.
8
7
6
7
6
In most cases, the government is able to harness the best available scientific knowledge for policymaking purposes.
5
4
3
4
3
Only rarely is the government able to harness the best available scientific knowledge for policymaking purposes.
2
1
1
The government is not able to harness the best available scientific knowledge for policymaking purposes.
There are no formal mechanisms for integrating scientific knowledge into policymaking. Often, the government establishes a committee to examine specific issues. These committees include experts, such as scientists from academia. Many committees are chaired by a judge and are generally independent. Committees analyze the problem and suggest solutions based on their professional understanding of the situation. Such committees have been formed for several significant legislative initiatives and reforms, including changes to the education system, the natural resource tax regime and land issues in the south concerning the Bedouins.
Hence, although no formal or regular mechanism for consultation exists, consultation with scientists and experts frequently occurs. However, the consultation process and the protocols of committee meetings are often not transparent. Nevertheless, most committee reports are made available to the public.
In addition, scientists from academia are often invited to various professional forums to share their opinions and findings. Many government ministries collaborate with academia by providing research grants for specific questions of interest or access to information. For instance, the Ministry of Education often issues calls for proposals on topics such as student evaluations and special education. The Prison System has issued calls for proposals that use data provided by the Prison System and the Ministry of Environmental Protection often provides grants for research on environmental issues. Furthermore, the Ministry of Science offers specific grants aimed at promoting collaboration between government agencies, departments and academia to improve policymaking and public access to information. These various grants from the ministries and the Ministry of Science help to widen the circle of scientists consulted.
In the last year, the judicial overhaul has sparked significant criticism from scientists, particularly economists, legal scholars and political scientists, regarding government policy. Critics argue that mounting scientific evidence suggests the government’s policies will harm the economy and democracy in Israel. The government, however, has dismissed these critiques as partisan.
In the most recent national budget, the government imposed severe budget cuts on many scientific institutions and attempted to close the main scientific office of each ministry. This suggests that the current administration does not view science or scientists as important contributors to policymaking.
Non-governmental experts often criticize government policy. This is evident in their frequent appearances in the Knesset, the issuance of policy papers on various subjects and media interviews.
Hence, although no formal or regular mechanism for consultation exists, consultation with scientists and experts frequently occurs. However, the consultation process and the protocols of committee meetings are often not transparent. Nevertheless, most committee reports are made available to the public.
In addition, scientists from academia are often invited to various professional forums to share their opinions and findings. Many government ministries collaborate with academia by providing research grants for specific questions of interest or access to information. For instance, the Ministry of Education often issues calls for proposals on topics such as student evaluations and special education. The Prison System has issued calls for proposals that use data provided by the Prison System and the Ministry of Environmental Protection often provides grants for research on environmental issues. Furthermore, the Ministry of Science offers specific grants aimed at promoting collaboration between government agencies, departments and academia to improve policymaking and public access to information. These various grants from the ministries and the Ministry of Science help to widen the circle of scientists consulted.
In the last year, the judicial overhaul has sparked significant criticism from scientists, particularly economists, legal scholars and political scientists, regarding government policy. Critics argue that mounting scientific evidence suggests the government’s policies will harm the economy and democracy in Israel. The government, however, has dismissed these critiques as partisan.
In the most recent national budget, the government imposed severe budget cuts on many scientific institutions and attempted to close the main scientific office of each ministry. This suggests that the current administration does not view science or scientists as important contributors to policymaking.
Non-governmental experts often criticize government policy. This is evident in their frequent appearances in the Knesset, the issuance of policy papers on various subjects and media interviews.
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To what extent does the government facilitate the participation of trade unions and business organizations in policymaking?
10
9
9
The government is able to effectively involve trade unions and business organizations in policy development.
8
7
6
7
6
Most of the time, the government is able to effectively involve trade unions and business organizations in policy development.
5
4
3
4
3
The government is rarely able to effectively involve trade unions and business organizations in policy development.
2
1
1
The government is not able to effectively involve trade unions and business organizations in policy development.
Generally, there are no institutionalized mechanisms for tripartite consultation. A roundtable of employer, labor union and government representatives was formed in 2009 as part of the coalition agreement based on a Labor Party demand. However, the roundtable was discontinued after that coalition dissolved (Bondy and Maggor 2023). Currently, any consultation with employers and unions occurs on an ad hoc basis.
Moreover, the government generally avoids such consultation unless the cooperation of labor or capital is required for policy implementation. This applies to collective agreements in the public sector or when the government wishes to promote a reform in government-owned companies.
Unions participate in roundtables at the ministry level, alongside other stakeholder groups. For example, teachers’ unions are invited to roundtables held by the Ministry of Education.
The consultation process is not transparent to the public and is often not inclusive. Some governments have attempted to promote various reforms without consultation or with limited consultation. Other governments have taken a more inclusive approach. However, consultations are not formalized and, therefore, depend on the minister or ministers in power. In many cases, the lack of inclusive consultation has resulted in strikes and hindered progress in the suggested reforms.
Usually, the government does not play an active or productive role in resolving conflicts between labor and capital.
Citations:
Bondy, A. S., and E. Maggor. 2023. “Balancing the Scales: Labour Incorporation and the Politics of Growth Model Transformation.” New Political Economy 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13563467.2023.2217770
Moreover, the government generally avoids such consultation unless the cooperation of labor or capital is required for policy implementation. This applies to collective agreements in the public sector or when the government wishes to promote a reform in government-owned companies.
Unions participate in roundtables at the ministry level, alongside other stakeholder groups. For example, teachers’ unions are invited to roundtables held by the Ministry of Education.
The consultation process is not transparent to the public and is often not inclusive. Some governments have attempted to promote various reforms without consultation or with limited consultation. Other governments have taken a more inclusive approach. However, consultations are not formalized and, therefore, depend on the minister or ministers in power. In many cases, the lack of inclusive consultation has resulted in strikes and hindered progress in the suggested reforms.
Usually, the government does not play an active or productive role in resolving conflicts between labor and capital.
Citations:
Bondy, A. S., and E. Maggor. 2023. “Balancing the Scales: Labour Incorporation and the Politics of Growth Model Transformation.” New Political Economy 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13563467.2023.2217770
To what extent does the government facilitate the participation of leading social welfare CSOs in policymaking?
10
9
9
The government is able to effectively involve leading social welfare CSOs in policy development.
8
7
6
7
6
Most of the time, the government is able to effectively involve leading social welfare CSOs in policy development.
5
4
3
4
3
The government is rarely able to effectively involve leading social welfare CSOs in policy development.
2
1
1
The government is not able to effectively involve leading social welfare CSOs in policy development.
Many welfare services in Israel are provided by NGOs and for-profit businesses (Paz-Fuchs et al. 2018). As a result, these entities are deeply involved in many stages of the policymaking process. The social ministries (education, welfare and immigration) often conduct roundtables with both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, where these organizations provide input on the discussed policies. Additionally, the ministries frequently use data provided by these social organizations and rely on their expertise. These organizations participate in many professional committees, are invited to Knesset meetings (usually by members of the Knesset rather than the ministries) (e.g., Gal & Weiss-Gal 2010) and issue numerous policy papers used by the government.
The consultation process lacks transparency, making it unclear whether a plurality of voices is represented or if the same organizations maintain a monopoly on specific fields due to their expertise. Consequently, it is challenging to determine the inclusivity of the process. There is no formal directive regarding who should be invited to the consultation; this is typically at the discretion of the department in charge.
The PMO hosts a roundtable that regularly consults with social organizations. However, there is no formal directive on the frequency of these consultations and no assessment of their actual effect on the policies implemented.
Social organizations express their dissatisfaction with government policy primarily when there are budget cuts or significant policy changes. Additionally, critique arises if a major scandal or severe problem is uncovered by the media. Given that social services in Israel have faced retrenchment over the past two decades, such critique has become more frequent. The government is minimally involved in resolving disputes within major organizations.
Citations:
Paz-Fuchs, A., Mandelkern, R., and Galnoor, I., eds. 2018. The Privatization of Israel: The Withdrawal of State Responsibility. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9781137601568#otherversion=9781137582614
Gal, J., and Weiss-Gal, I. 2010. “Social Policy Formulation and the Role of Professionals: The Involvement of Social Workers in Parliamentary Committees in Israel: Social Policy Formulation and Professionals.” Health & Social Care in the Community (no-no). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2524.2010.00955
The consultation process lacks transparency, making it unclear whether a plurality of voices is represented or if the same organizations maintain a monopoly on specific fields due to their expertise. Consequently, it is challenging to determine the inclusivity of the process. There is no formal directive regarding who should be invited to the consultation; this is typically at the discretion of the department in charge.
The PMO hosts a roundtable that regularly consults with social organizations. However, there is no formal directive on the frequency of these consultations and no assessment of their actual effect on the policies implemented.
Social organizations express their dissatisfaction with government policy primarily when there are budget cuts or significant policy changes. Additionally, critique arises if a major scandal or severe problem is uncovered by the media. Given that social services in Israel have faced retrenchment over the past two decades, such critique has become more frequent. The government is minimally involved in resolving disputes within major organizations.
Citations:
Paz-Fuchs, A., Mandelkern, R., and Galnoor, I., eds. 2018. The Privatization of Israel: The Withdrawal of State Responsibility. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9781137601568#otherversion=9781137582614
Gal, J., and Weiss-Gal, I. 2010. “Social Policy Formulation and the Role of Professionals: The Involvement of Social Workers in Parliamentary Committees in Israel: Social Policy Formulation and Professionals.” Health & Social Care in the Community (no-no). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2524.2010.00955
To what extent does the government facilitate the participation of leading environmental CSOs in policymaking?
10
9
9
The government is able to effectively involve leading environmental CSOs in policy development.
8
7
6
7
6
Most of the time, the government is able to effectively involve leading environmental CSOs in policy development.
5
4
3
4
3
The government is rarely able to effectively involve leading environmental CSOs in policy development.
2
1
1
The government is not able to effectively involve leading environmental CSOs in policy development.
The main formal mechanism for the involvement of environmental organizations is the Law of Representation of Public Environmental Organizations (2002). According to this law, every statutory committee handling environmental issues (e.g., water, land and planning) must include a representative from an environmental organization. This ensures that these organizations can express their opinions and have them considered, as they are full members of the committee. Although the decisions of the committees are transparent, the deliberations are not. In most cases, the minister of environmental protection selects the organizations that send representatives. Typically, environmental organizations agree among themselves on which organization will participate in which committee to prevent disputes and ensure inclusiveness.
In addition, environmental organizations are very active on planning issues, especially at the local level but also at the national level, particularly with regard to policymaking processes in the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Energy. Environmental organizations are regularly consulted on various policy issues, and can provide input through both formal and informal channels.
Moreover, environmental organizations often express their dissatisfaction with government policy in Knesset committees and through the media. Because environmental issues are not high on the government’s agenda, politicians usually do not pay much attention to them.
In addition, environmental organizations are very active on planning issues, especially at the local level but also at the national level, particularly with regard to policymaking processes in the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Energy. Environmental organizations are regularly consulted on various policy issues, and can provide input through both formal and informal channels.
Moreover, environmental organizations often express their dissatisfaction with government policy in Knesset committees and through the media. Because environmental issues are not high on the government’s agenda, politicians usually do not pay much attention to them.
Graph View
To what extent does the government publish data and information that empowers citizens to hold the government accountable?
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The government publishes data and information in a manner that empowers citizens to hold the government accountable.
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7
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Most of the time, the government publishes data and information in a manner that empowers citizens to hold the government accountable.
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3
The government rarely publishes data and information in a manner that strengthens citizens to hold the government accountable.
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1
The government does not publish data and information in a manner that strengthens citizens’ capacity to hold the government accountable.
In recent years, the Israeli government has developed the platform GOV.IL, which includes quantitative data from various governmental departments and subjects. The data can be downloaded in various formats to facilitate use. This platform does not include administrative data, such as rules, regulations or cabinet decisions. These types of data can be found on each department’s website. For instance, the Prime Minister’s Office publishes cabinet decisions, the Ministry of Justice publishes all laws and rules introduced, and each ministry publishes its respective regulations.
When the government publishes a draft law or regulation, it allows the public to comment on the legislation or rule. All public comments are transparent. In most cases, there is sufficient time for the public to comment. However, over the past year, there have been several instances in which the public was given only a few days to comment. In most cases, the data is of high quality.
The type of data provided differs between ministries. The PMO refuses to publish summaries of cabinet meetings and often releases cabinet decisions with significant delays. The Ministry of Finance, on the other hand, publishes very detailed budgetary data, and information on various contracts between the ministries and third parties to address the demands of various groups.
The comparability of the data also varies. On the data.gov.il website, data is comparable across regions, groups and time periods. For other types of data, comparability is mostly absent. This website reflects the efforts of the specialist National Digital Agency, which is dedicated to enhancing the transparent digitalization of the government.
Government decisions are often not connected to the decisions they modify. This is also the case for data from the Ministry of Justice and most other ministry regulations. The only exception is the Ministry of Education, where data on previous regulations concerning the same issue are provided for each regulation.
Data is not provided in a timely manner across all departments, although new regulations and laws are published promptly. However, cabinet decisions are typically delayed by several weeks and statistical data on some issues are published only after several years.
The statistical data is user-friendly, while budgetary data can be downloaded as CSV or Excel files. However, the rules, regulations and decisions are not user-friendly, and are available only in PDF or HTML formats.
Citations:
Government Databases Website, https://info.data.gov.il/home
Israel National Digital Agency, https://www.gov.il/en/departments/national-digital-agency/govil-landing-page
When the government publishes a draft law or regulation, it allows the public to comment on the legislation or rule. All public comments are transparent. In most cases, there is sufficient time for the public to comment. However, over the past year, there have been several instances in which the public was given only a few days to comment. In most cases, the data is of high quality.
The type of data provided differs between ministries. The PMO refuses to publish summaries of cabinet meetings and often releases cabinet decisions with significant delays. The Ministry of Finance, on the other hand, publishes very detailed budgetary data, and information on various contracts between the ministries and third parties to address the demands of various groups.
The comparability of the data also varies. On the data.gov.il website, data is comparable across regions, groups and time periods. For other types of data, comparability is mostly absent. This website reflects the efforts of the specialist National Digital Agency, which is dedicated to enhancing the transparent digitalization of the government.
Government decisions are often not connected to the decisions they modify. This is also the case for data from the Ministry of Justice and most other ministry regulations. The only exception is the Ministry of Education, where data on previous regulations concerning the same issue are provided for each regulation.
Data is not provided in a timely manner across all departments, although new regulations and laws are published promptly. However, cabinet decisions are typically delayed by several weeks and statistical data on some issues are published only after several years.
The statistical data is user-friendly, while budgetary data can be downloaded as CSV or Excel files. However, the rules, regulations and decisions are not user-friendly, and are available only in PDF or HTML formats.
Citations:
Government Databases Website, https://info.data.gov.il/home
Israel National Digital Agency, https://www.gov.il/en/departments/national-digital-agency/govil-landing-page