To run a country with challenges from home - the Prime Minister's Office
When Naftali Bennett entered the prime minister's office, he knew he had taken on the most complicated job in the world - but he probably did not expect his first year in office to look like that either. Without any ideological glue, except for the mutual disgust of her friends with Benjamin Netanyahu.
When it comes to summing up the test result so far, these seemingly impossible conditions are supposed to be considered "mitigating circumstances."
In fact, it was Bennett who created them with his own hands, realizing that this might be the only opportunity he would have to serve.
We had almost forgotten, but the first task Bennett faced was the corona crisis.
Bennett, who at the beginning of the epidemic sided with a stricter policy against the virus, changed his taste and chose to avoid significant restrictions almost completely.
He claimed, with some justification, that circumstances had changed - but the bottom line is that close to 4,500 Israelis died in his shift.
The statement of a "senior political figure" who decided to adopt the false arguments of the Corona deniers and said in a briefing to reporters that "many of the patients die with the virus and not because of it" is poorly remembered.
He did not imagine that this would be his first year in office.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Photo: Coco
On the Palestinian front, Bennett has mostly tried to remain calm, and for now his government seems to have managed to stem the tide of terrorism.
There is no and no political progress is being made with the PA, and with Hamas the feeling is that not much has changed from the previous government.
On the Iranian front, Bennett has managed - as well, for now - to thwart the nuclear deal, which seemed like a fait accompli.
Another complex issue he faced was the war in Ukraine, for which Bennett led a cautious but controversial line.
He was careful not to upset the Russians in order to maintain the IDF's freedom of action in Syria - even at the cost of moral ambiguity and criticism from Western countries. .
Bennett's mediation efforts against Putin and Zelsky briefly elevated him to international statesman status, but ended without any real results.
Some of Bennett's biggest challenges were actually in the internal arena: he is praised by the ministers for his good human relations, but it seems that some of the senior ministers are independent and do not always "count" him.
When he became involved in world affairs he neglected the maintenance of coalition members, and as a result got into a crisis that threatened to overthrow his government.
Bennett's bureau also suffers from a wave of departures and murky relations.
Finally, some unnecessary scandals have damaged his image.
Bennett treats his role with reverence, and his desire to act vigorously for the benefit of the people and the state seems real.
The problem is that in the political conditions he has assumed, it is not certain that this is possible.
Tamir Morag
The budget released the cork - the Ministry of Defense
After two years in which the defense establishment operated without a budget and without the ability to conduct long-term engagements, thanks to the formation of the government - and especially thanks to the transfer of the budget - the Ministry of Defense and the IDF breathed a sigh of relief.
The budget first anchored a NIS 3 billion protection plan for the north in three years, and it is estimated that the project will be completed within a few years.
In addition, the series of attacks led the defense establishment to divert budgets, and in April the cabinet approved Gantz's proposal to allocate NIS 360 million for the construction of an additional 40 km for the seam barrier.
A few months ago, Ganz also managed to postpone by a few years the shortening of compulsory service for men by another two months, and therefore compulsory service for men will remain 32 months.
At the same time, the defense establishment has come under heavy public criticism in recent months when it comes to dealing with the issue of pensions for permanent staff.
The Ministry of Defense has accelerated preparations for an attack on Iran.
Minister Ganz, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The Ministry of Defense has greatly accelerated the army's preparations for an attack on Iran, after it became clear that Iran was launching a bomb and taking time.
The government has allocated a budget to prepare for activities in the third circle, and the Air Force has begun training for such a possibility.
At the same time, the Ministry of Defense emphasized the implementation of the "One Soul" reform for IDF wounded, and as part of the transfer of the defense budget, it was determined that in 2021 NIS 1.2 billion will be added for the reform, and in 2022 an additional NIS 900 million.
Despite the many achievements, Ganz has failed to advance the reform of the recruitment outline he presented, under which a joint service administration - civilian and military - will be established that will sort out all the young people who will reach conscription age, including Arabs and ultra-Orthodox.
Lilac trail
A clear position vis-à-vis Ukraine - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Under the scepter of Yair Lapid as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, the ministry in charge of Israel and the world relations enjoys a flourishing that he did not know like.
Budgets were increased again, and the missing effect was restored.
If Netanyahu's period was characterized by the exclusion of the Foreign Ministry from the table, then Lapid not only returned him to the center of the stage - but also made sure that the Shin Bet, the Mossad, the Armed Forces and the National Security Council flowed to him and received such information. Came back to life, and the State Department takes a central part in it.
Israeli Field Hospital in Mostiska, Leviv, Photo: Yehuda Peretz
The clearest example of the Foreign Ministry's dominance is the hospital operated by Israel in the Ukraine.
In previous disasters, the Home Front Command would have operated hospitals around the world.
This time, also because of the sensitivity of soldiers' presence on the battlefield of other countries - but also because the Foreign Ministry is now getting the full attention - he is the one who led the operation.
Lapid himself was quite active in the first months.
He visited and launched initiatives, took a clear position on the invasion of Ukraine, and rightly repeatedly condemned Putin's crimes and his army.
The operation to deport Israelis and Jews from Ukraine before and during the war was also well managed by him and the ministry.
Condemned Putin's crimes.
Foreign Minister Lapid, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Since the retirement of Idit Silman, and also because of the sanctions in the Foreign Ministry, Lapid has been both grounded and more concentrated in politics than in the states.
It is not talked about, but it is a paralysis of a significant part of the Foreign Minister's work.
It is not difficult to imagine what opposition leader Lapid would say about a foreign minister whose main focus is on politics and cannot leave the country.
Ariel Kahana
The test result will be decisive - the Ministry of Education
Education Minister Yifat Shasha Bitton can register an achievement for herself.
Her flagship program to change the method of matriculation exams in the humanities (history, literature, Bible and citizenship) has been launched, and will begin as early as this coming September. , Who opposes the reform, because the pedagogical decisions are hers alone.
However, the education system is only just beginning to recover from Corona's two difficult years.
The burning issues on the agenda are the narrowing of the gaps in mathematics, language and English, which the Ministry of Education has been dealing with for years.
These gaps have even deepened, along with the accumulated emotional gaps, which have already led to cases of violence, anxiety and more among the students.
It seems that the Ministry of Education is trying to pour more and more budgets (its budget this year is NIS 70 billion), but if it does not find the right plan - everything will go down the drain.
Implements her vision.
Minister of Education Shasha-Bitton, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Another program of the Minister of Education (GPN - Administrative Pedagogical Flexibility), which gives principals budget baskets, was presented as innovative, but the field claims that it is cumbersome, did not add additional budgets to schools - and on the other hand created more unpaid work.
In general, the minister's personal image also took a hit during the Corona period, with the controversy over children's vaccines in schools - an image she will try to restore.
Another issue on the table is wage agreements with teaching staff, both primary and secondary.
Although the debate is with the Treasury, the education system may also be harmed by it.
Noam (Devol) Dvir
Additional solutions are needed - the Ministries of Finance and Economy
The Treasury has received quite a bit of praise from various bodies, and there is something for.
The economy is in full employment, with a lower unemployment rate than before the corona, the budget deficit has been reduced to close to zero, and the growth recorded last year was among the highest in developed countries.
When looking at these parameters, one can even say that the corona has done well for the economy - at the macro level.
However, when looking at the micro level, one gets a completely different picture.
When it comes to the cost of living - the situation in the economy has only worsened.
Apartment prices have risen by more than 16% in the past year - a dizzying rate of increase that has not been seen since 2010.
The level of inflation, which has reached 4% in the past year, is also at an 11-year high.
Despite the alarming numbers, it should be noted that Israel is not exceptional, and its rate of price increase is still moderate compared to what is happening in most developed countries.
However, Israel has entered the wave of price increases with its cost of living being about 20% higher than the average in developed countries.
The consumer has not yet felt the impact of the reforms.
Minister Lieberman, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The government is trying to combat the cost of living by expanding competition, mainly through the removal of import caps on products as well as facilitating the issuance of import permits.
The Arrangements Law contains an impressive set of important reforms - those that have been stuck for years despite the cost of living, such as the import reform and the agriculture reform.
The consumer has not yet felt the impact of the reforms.
The results of the import reform will probably only be seen in a few months.
As for the reform of agriculture - its important parts have not yet been approved, and in the state of the coalition their implementation is in doubt.
And what about housing prices?
Despite the urgency to address the issue, no real solutions have yet been presented.
Sonia Gorodisky
Tangle of bureaucracy - Ministry of the Interior
Upon taking office, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked announced her intention to act to address the housing crisis by speeding up planning procedures and increasing the supply of housing, while shortening the procedures for obtaining building permits.
Alongside this, it stated that it would work to implement business licensing reform to facilitate business owners and the self-employed.
Shaked has advanced these issues, but there is still a long way to go - and the tangle of bureaucracy has not yet been fully resolved.
Exemption from visa and establishment of settlements in the Negev.
Minister Shaked, Photo: Coco
Shaked is working to establish 14 new settlements in the Negev, out of a desire to seize state lands in the Negev and strengthen the periphery.
The Minister turned Be'er Ya'akov and Harish into cities in Israel, in light of their impressive growth rate and growth potential in the coming years, and even worked to pass a government decision to strengthen and develop plowing.
In addition, dozens of decisions were signed by the geographical committees on the transfer of land and the distribution of income, and many dunams were transferred to Kiryat Gat, Yokneam and the ridges, in favor of promoting construction plans.
In the field of business licensing, Shaked has advanced regulatory relief for a large number of business owners, which will result in significant savings of tens of thousands of shekels per business owner.
Shaked also promoted the issue of visa waiver to the US for Israelis, and the deadline for obtaining the long-awaited exemption is February 2023. To overcome the shortage of nursing workers and the distress of families employing a foreign worker in this field, it was decided to grant a residence permit for 2,000 foreign workers. To continue to stay in their job, despite the fact that the period of their employment has ended.In this matter, as in all areas of responsibility, Shaked has a lot of work left.
Yuri Yalon
The important law will pass?
Ministry of Welfare and Social Security
With a view to the Law for People with Disabilities and Correction of Illnesses of the Ministry of Welfare: Minister of Welfare Meir Cohen is trying to pass the most significant law for him - the Welfare Services Law for People with Disabilities, which means transferring people with disabilities from dormitories to community housing.
NIS 2.2 billion will be allocated for the benefit of the law, as part of which thousands of tenants will be transferred from dormitories and hostels to independent residences in apartments in the community.
The Welfare Services Law for People with Disabilities has not yet been voted on in the Knesset.
Government meeting, Photo: Amit Shabi
The law has not yet been passed for a vote in the Knesset, and in the current outline of the coalition nothing is yet closed.
But even if the law is passed, the Ministry of Welfare and the minister in charge must still pay attention to cases of neglect in the ministry's hostels.
Over the years, the frameworks have been privatized, and they have been transferred to operate under various associations whose guiding principle is the budgetary aspect.
Evidence - the dire consequences of the death of the inmates at the Holon home.
The ministry and the minister are not allowed to sweep these cases.
Abandonment of frameworks - which includes staff shortages, poor conditions and sexual and violent abuse - occurs both in frameworks for people with disabilities and in frameworks for minors.
Other issues that still pose a challenge are violence against women and the murder of women - who do not seem to be able to eradicate it yet.
In addition, the issue of poverty needs to be addressed, and it should be noted that the National Food Security Council has reconvened.
Noam (Devol) Dvir
Struggle to change - Ministry of Communications
The current tenure of Minister Yoaz Handel in the Ministry of Communications is his second.
Thus, it seems that the Minister came more focused to the post and acted in a focused manner on some of the key issues that were most important to him.
The first reform that Handel promoted was the abolition of the split between infrastructure providers and content providers in the field of the Internet.
This created a reality in which the consumer now has one central address in every area of Internet malfunctions, and he was spared wandering between several factors in order to resolve faults or receive service - both in the field of infrastructure and in the field of the network.
Beyond that, the Minister worked to solve the problem of shuffling the Israel Post.
This, by actions to privatize the company.
At the same time, the minister opened the market to competition.
Acts in a focused manner.
Minister of Communications Yoaz Handel, Photo: Gideon Markovich
It is important to note that as part of the privatization, the post office will have to undergo a broad and efficient recovery program, but it seems that the train for selling the mail to the public has left the station.
There are two other areas in which the Minister has acted and which he has promoted within the framework of his current tenure.
The first is the continuation of the fiber-optic deployment project in the periphery and in the edge localities, in order to enable fast and cheap Internet traffic throughout the country and not just in the center.
Good network traffic has many economic implications, as well as enabling technology companies and others to work well outside the geographic center.
The last issue on which many struggles have been handled is the mobilization of kosher phones.
If until his decision the rabbinical committee dominated the market - then the minister cut the committee's influence and returned the discretion to the ultra-Orthodox consumers themselves.
Assaf Golan
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