by Pincas Jawetz (PJ@SustainabiliTank.info)
Tel Aviv, Israel, December 15, 2005

At Montreal Israel was not represented by its Environment Minister but by the Ambassador to Canada.
Now I realized why - simply Israel has lost its Environment Minister and at this time this function was taken over by the Prime Minister’s office.

There was a long history of Environment Ministers that really had no interest in their Ministry - they accepted the post because no other post was offered to them. Finally, the Director General of the Ministry, Dr. Yehudit Na’ot became Environment Minister when she joined the Shinui party and was elected to the Knesset (Parliament). When she passed away, another member of her party took over, MK Ilan Shalgi, but he had to leave after his party left the government, and Likud MK, Tzahi Hanegbi was appointed the new Minister. That was the start of a serious downturn.

Mr. Hanegbi replaced 80 employees of the 500 worker strong ministry with his relations. Israel has strong scientific cadre and many competent people, but Mr. Negbi did not search for the best - he just wanted his cronies. Eventually the situation reached the courts and a recommendation was made to remove him from his office. The Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2005 , has a story that also the Civil Service Commissioner backed the former state comptroller’s statement that during Mr. Hanegbi’s term in office -political and improper appointments were made in the Environment Ministry. Now Mr. Hanegbi has joined the new list that was created by the Prime Minister in view of the January 23, 2006 elections to the Knesset. It is expected that Mr. Hanegbi’s talents will grace a different Ministry in the future.

Above is written in context of the fabulous potential Israel has in environment and alternate energy systems, and the hope that the environment ministry mess will not hold Israel back from its potential contribution to the post Montreal budding industrial, commercial, and policy developments.