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This paper is being written against the backdrop of the decision to transfer responsibility for the Government Companies Authority to Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem and of his intention, stated in the coalition agreements, to abolish the Recruitment Database listing potential candidates for the position of directors of state-owned enterprises. The GCA oversees 71 SOEs with assets totaling over NIS 235 billion. Some of them are giant corporations that provide important services to the public and play a significant role in the nation’s economy and in the life of Israelis in such areas as energy, education, water, health, housing, seaports, transportation infrastructure, security, and culture.
Zulat calls on the opposition parties and opponents of the regime coup to come out against both the abolition of the Recruitment Database and the transfer of the GCA under Amsalem’s responsibility. The abolition of the Recruitment Database will seriously harm the equitable selection of SOE directors and might exacerbate the inequality that already exists in the government’s activities in all spheres of life. Even if the Recruitment Database is not abolished, the transfer of responsibility to Amsalem is a perturbing move that will damage the public interest, akin to the subordination of the Israel Police to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Due to the inherent weaknesses in the Government Companies Law-1975, Amsalem will further politicize the selection of directors and their functions and wreak havoc on the SOEs and the Israeli economy, just as Ben-Gvir has been doing with the Israel Police despite the fact that the Knesset has not approved the legislative amendments he demanded.