Dagan calls for change in governance system

Former Mossad chief slams current government's decisions at TAU conference; 'If government continues on this path, existing threat to Israel will not remain a theoretical one,' he predicts

Shiri Hadar|Published: 05.14.12 , 18:46

During a meeting with students from Tel Aviv University on Monday, ex-Mossad chief Meir Dagan spoke of what he called the dire need to change the governance system in Israel.

"Seventy percent of government decisions are not executed," Dagan said."Furthermore, some decisions are only executed when it is convenient for certain ministers."

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According to Dagan, sectorial parties in Israel's political system dictate the public agenda. "The government is far from being stable these days," he said.

Dagan noted that within the political system exist several organizations that are dedicated to changing the core values and "essence" of the State. "If Israel's government continues on this path, the existing threat to the State will not remain a theoretical one, but rather a reality which we will all have to eventually face," he said.

During the meeting, Dagan, who is the chairman of Yesh Sikuy – a movement devoted to reforming Israel's legislative system - outlined the movement's future goals, which include limiting an elected prime minister's administration to only two (consecutive) terms.

According to Dagan's suggested governance system, the 2% electoral threshold will be raised to 3%. The new government will include both MKs and civilians.

"We have reached a point where an entire group among the citizens of Israel has created a situation that has exempt entire populations (in Israel) from serving in the military," he told the students.

Last month the former Mossad chief visited the IDF reservists' protest tent in Jerusalem and signed a petition calling on the government to pass a law which would require all Israeli citizens to be drafted either into the IDF or a national service framework.

"We've reached an impossible situation whereby the distribution of the burden is unequal," Dagan said, "This is problematic."