Weakening the Civil Service is Part of the Price of the Collapse of the “Perceived Reality”
At a time when in five government ministries the position of director-general is vacant, and when, despite three years of the COVID pandemic, no regular drills are held on how to function during emergencies and ongoing digital management, it is no surprise that the civil service has suffered a severe blow during the current war on Hamas, as has its ability to provide relevant services. In light of recent actions aimed at undermining the public sector, immediate action must be taken to address this situation in order to restore social resilience.
Photo by Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90
Much has been said since the outbreak of the war with regard to the collapse of the defense and intelligence “perceived concept” as to Hamas and its intentions and capabilities. But an examination of Israel’s civil service and its functioning during this period reveals yet another concept that has been demolished.
In recent years, there has been more and more talk of Israel being mired in a severe crisis of governance. The government’s ability to implement policy is an essential condition for the effective functioning of the public service system, for public trust, for citizens’ wellbeing, and more. But unfortunately, the political, public, and media discourse on governance in Israel has focused on the narrow aspect of public appointments, cronyism and of loyalty to the person at the top of the pyramid.
Even before the formation of Israel’s 37th government, the need to strengthen Israel’s civil service was acutely clear, in light of the complex systemic challenges it faces. But since the current government was sworn in, we have witnessed myriad efforts (both legislative initiatives and governmental decisions) of which the practical outcome—if not necessarily the original intent—has been to weaken the civil service, in particular by undermining its independence and professionalism.
An effective, professional, and independent civil service is of course vital in routine times, to help develop broad strategies and policies, and to ensure the operation of mechanisms and work routines that enable the governmental system to run as a well-oiled machine. These work routines are all the more important in times of crisis and war, so as to be able to assess the situation in real time, coordinate comprehensive responses, and provide the best possible service to citizens. But in a situation in which the position of director-general is vacant in five government ministries, in which the last Socio-Economic Strategic Assessment was published in 2015, and in which—despite three years of COVID— there are no regular drills held for working during emergencies and digital management, it is no wonder that the civil service has been dealt a severe blow, as has its ability to provide relevant services.
A survey conducted in August by the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at Israel Democracy Institute found that 38% of the Israeli public are dissatisfied with the services they receive from the government, when comparing them to the previous governments. More than a third feel that the steps taken to weaken the civil service are having a direct negative impact on the quality of the services they receive. These findings tally with the continuing decline of public trust in state and government institutions, with only 18% of Israelis now having trust in our elected representatives.
The survey was conducted before the war broke out: before terrified citizens were trapped for hours in shelters and safe rooms, while no-one in the government could offer them assistance; before the Ministry of Public Information became entirely irrelevant (and the minister resigned), in the face of civilian initiatives that recruited influencers in Israel and abroad; before we found ourselves in a national crisis with not a word from the Minister of National Missions and her staff—and if ever there was an urgent, important, and wide-ranging national mission, surely this was it? And, of course, before the shameful interview given by the director general of the Prime Minister’s Office, in which he indirectly blamed the festival at Re’im for the state’s entirely ineffective response to the attacks, eventually apologizing for his remarks.
Israel marked the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War this month, a war that is seared into the Israeli public consciousness as a systemic failure and the collapse of the “concept” according to which it was believed that Israel’s enemies would not attack. In a retrospective analysis of the war, Dr. Zvi Lanir coined the phrase “relevancy gap” to refer to growing divide between the fast-changing facts on the ground and the conceptual system for an analysis of the war.
We are currently facing a huge relevancy gap: The concept guiding the current government is significantly misaligned from the realities on the ground. Realities are changing, and public services are failing as a result of the constant efforts to weaken the civil service, time after time. These efforts include quashing of powers, failure to consult with civil service professionals, political appointments, territorial battles, and various populist steps. The resulting damage has led to the current situation in which there is no one in charge to integrate and coordinate effective policy responses and services to the public.
Israel’s citizens have taken upon themselves the task of managing the current crisis, via local civic initiatives. I have many colleagues and friends in the public service system, who are all trying to help on a case-by-case basis, but the current situation highlights the overall trend of weakening the public sector.
This approach must change. We must cultivate a professional, objective, efficient, and independent civil service. While it might not be able to turn back the clock, at least it will be prepared for the enormous and complex tasks that lie ahead; and of restoring and strengthening our national- social resilience during and after the war.