Israel’s Unaccountable Elite: The Case of the Finance Ministry’s Upper Echelons

Abstract

The article explores the Treasury elite’s critical role in state affairs and its influence in Israeli society. The timeliness of the subject lies in the rapid rise of the elite’s power and the public’s growing dissatisfaction with its conduct. The Treasury elite’s power stems primarily from its strategic position in the government system. Its authority is not limited to the economic sphere but extends to other areas in the public sector, and its activity is characterized by pronounced social conservatism and a culture of secrecy. In order to understand this elite’s status in Israel, it is necessary to examine the way its views and preferences shape Israeli society. These accentuate the elite’s unaccountability which assumes little responsibility before the public and only minimal responsibility toward its elected political masters. The powers it has amassed pose a potential threat to the democratic regime, especially since the elite often serves as the final arbiter on social issues and economic policy.