The public committee headed by Discount Investments president Yoram Turbovitz, is to outline a comprehensive civil service reform. Major General (res.) Avraham Ben-Shoshan, formerly director-general of the Ministry of Labour, has been appointed director of the reform. Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who decided to set up the committee, has announced that he wishes to promote a civil service reform, and will personally stand behind it. The Turbovitz committee may recommend closing certain units and merging public administration functions.
In a briefing to economic correspondents in Jerusalem, Prime Minister's Office director-general Yossi Kucik said the time had come for a comprehensive reform of the civil service, since this was a bureaucratic system suffering severe efficiency problems. He noted that civil service in Israel was extremely large, relative to GDP.
Reform director Ben-Shoshan said "We are no longer serving the public. A reform is needed, and if we do not institute one shortly, the civil service will be in danger of collapse".
Published by Israel's Business Arena on 15 February, 2000