The government is the executive branch of the state, and it holds office by virtue of the confidence of the Knesset. The executive branch in Israel comprises the Government of Israel and its executive arms, principally the government ministries and their affiliated agencies, each of which is in charge of specific areas of responsibility (hereinafter collectively referred to as “the structure of government”). The structure of government and the composition of government ministries reflect the institutional and organizational foundations upon which the executive branch operates. With the Knesset’s approval, the government may alter the allocation of functions among ministers, except for the office of the Prime Minister; transfer, in whole or in part, a statutory power vested in one minister or a duty imposed on that minister by law to another minister; merge, divide, abolish or establish government ministries. The government may also transfer areas of responsibility from one ministry to another. The optimal organizational structure of government, including the allocation of powers and areas of responsibility among government ministries and their affiliated agencies, has a significant impact on the ability of the executive branch to operate professionally, efficiently, and effectively.
In practice, the structure and composition of the government are determined, inter alia, by agreements among Knesset factions for the purpose of forming a coalition, commonly referred to as "coalition agreements". This report focuses on the structure of the 35th, 36th, and 37th Governments of Israel. For the formation of the 35th Government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, in May 2020, coalition agreements were signed between the Likud faction and several Knesset factions. For the formation of the 36th Government, headed by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, in June 2021, coalition agreements were signed between the Yesh Atid faction and several Knesset factions. For the formation of the 37th Government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, in December 2022, coalition agreements were signed between the Likud faction and several Knesset factions . Coalition agreements are likely to include structural changes to the composition of government ministries, such as the establishment or closure of ministries and the transfer of areas of responsibility among them. Accordingly, the structure of government is likely to change over time, particularly when a new government is formed. The stability of the governmental structure and the functioning of the government’s executive arms are therefore influenced both by the frequency with which governments are formed and by the provisions set forth in coalition agreements between Knesset factions.
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