FALLMUNC II
Specialized Agency:
Israeli Cabinet
Introductory Note
We will be
acting as the Israeli Cabinet before Olmert’s September 21 resignation and
Livni’s charge to appoint a new cabinet because the new cabinet has not yet
been decided. Just concentrate on the former cabinet and its politics.
Background
The Israeli Cabinet is a government advisory cabinet
led by the Prime Minister and comprised of his or her appointed officials,
called Ministers. The group is generally referred to as the Government of
Israel, and is a part of the executive branch of government, which is headed
by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister may appoint any person he or she
wants, but the appointment must pass a vote by the legislature, called the
Assembly or Knesset in Hebrew. Ministers typically specialize in one or
more areas, but it is possible for a Minister to “be without Portfolio,”
meaning that he or she is just a general advisor that does not have a
specific area or expertise. Ministers may also be appointed the title of
Deputy Prime Minister, which is an honorary distinction.
The Government is frequently made up of Ministers from
differing political parties. Current Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s, leader
of the Kadima party, Ministers come from four different political parties
(not including one independent Minister). When first in office, Olmert
selected a cabinet of 25 Ministers representing four different parties.
Olmert later included Avigdor Lieberman, a member of the extremely
right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party in a controversial move that caused
tension with Palestinians and Arab-Israelis. The cabinet returned to a four
party group when Lieberman resigned in protest at the 2008 peace talks with
The Palestinian Authority.
Major Political Parties Represented in Olmert's Cabinet
Kadima: more liberal/central
Labour: center/left, socialist
Shas: socially conservative, fiscally liberal/center
Gil: concerned with issues facing the elderly
Yisrael Beiteinu: nationalist, conservative
Positions Represented in FALLMUNC
|
Prime Minister |
Ehud Olmert |
Kadima |
Leader of Government, typically party leader |
|
Minister of
Defence |
Ehud Barak |
Labour |
Second in importance only to Prime Minister, member
of Security Cabinet, has power of administrative detention (arrest
without trial), chooses and advises Chief of General Staff |
|
Minister of Foreign Affairs |
Tzipi Livni |
Kadima |
Third in importance to Prime Minister |
|
Minister of
Industry, Trade and Labour |
Eli Yishai |
Shas
|
Promotes economic growth and international trade |
|
Minister of Justice |
Daniel Friedman |
Not Affiliated |
Head of Justice Ministry, Friedman not a member of
Knesset |
|
Minister of Internal Security |
Avi Dichter |
Kadima |
Oversees Israeli police and prison services, not
the same as Ministry of Internal Affairs |
