Jerusalem, 5 May, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s expanding number of ministries and frequent restructuring are undermining governance, disrupting public services, and generating substantial financial waste, according to a special report by State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman published Tuesday.
The State Comptroller — Israel’s independent public audit authority responsible for reviewing government preparedness and policy effectiveness — found systemic instability in how responsibilities are allocated between ministries, alongside repeated structural changes that have weakened long-term planning and execution.
“Nearly half of Israel’s government ministries during the audit period — 15 of 31 — do not exist, or barely exist, in the peer countries,” such as Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and France, the report said.
The government formed in late 2022 under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu included 38 ministers, the highest number since Israel’s establishment in 1948.
According to the audit, between March 2024 and March 2025, there were 76 government decisions involving structural changes across ministries and agencies. Of 50 functional policy areas examined, 40 percent were transferred between ministries more than once, with some moved as many as four times. The average transfer process took approximately 7.5 months to complete.
The report notes that a 2014 amendment to Israel’s Basic Law: The Government had attempted to limit cabinet size to 19 ministers, citing concerns over inefficiency and decision-making delays. That provision was repealed in 2020.
The Finance Ministry’s Budget Division estimated that reducing the number of ministries from 33 to 15 could have saved up to NIS 780 million in 2024 alone ($264.6 million), with projected long-term annual savings of about NIS 1.15 billion ($390 million). Alternative consolidation scenarios, including a reduction to 23 ministries, were also assessed but not implemented.
The report highlights several cases in which repeated transfers of responsibility disrupted services and reduced operational effectiveness. The Authority for Agricultural Planning was moved from the Agriculture Ministry to the Ministry for the Negev and Galilee in 2023, and returned two years later. The transition was incomplete, with staff not transferred alongside the authority. During this period, the committee responsible for allocating farmland approved approximately 87 percent less land area compared to the previous year.
The Authority for Holocaust Survivors’ Rights, which serves approximately 120,000 survivors and operates with an annual budget of NIS 3.9 billion ($1.3 billion), has been moved between three ministries since 2020. Modernization efforts for its computer systems cost NIS 24 million ($8.1 million) over four years, of which approximately NIS 14 million ($4.7 million) was deemed wasted. As of 2025, the authority continues to rely on systems unsupported by their manufacturer for 17 years, creating what the report described as a risk of system failure.
A separate case involved a task force established in May 2024 to coordinate reconstruction in northern communities affected by the war with Hezbollah. It was transferred between ministries within six months. Its director later resigned, citing reduced authority. As of early 2026, no comprehensive multi-year reconstruction plan has been approved by the government.
The State Comptroller concluded that professional committees have repeatedly recommended consolidating ministries and reducing duplication since 2011, but these recommendations have not been implemented due to political constraints.
Englman called on the government to ensure that structural changes are preceded by thorough planning and evaluation, and to seriously consider long-standing consolidation proposals. The report warns that inefficiencies caused by frequent reassignment of responsibilities may intensify significantly during emergencies, when administrative stability is especially critical.