Israel under influence of 'controlling establishment'

Occupied Jerusalem: "The politicians come in last place regarding ruling Israel and choosing its fate. There are other bodies that have a tremendous effect on the state's fate," said the lawyer and head of the Integrity in Justice Institute recently.

The institute focuses on fighting corruption in Israeli institutions. Avigdor Shinghar, who heads the institute, added that Israeli police are investigating one-third of the country's ministers in cases of corruption, bribery, and exploitation. One of those under investigation is Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Investigations reveal that Olmert has strong ties with certain businessmen and moneymakers.

Many experts believe that it is not the political class that makes Israeli government policy, but the military, businessmen, clerics and "high employees".

Members of the military are the ones who decide on the political and military steps of the state in addition to war issues, the planning of peace movements and even economical and cultural matters, say some analysts.

Business leaders have firm relationships with politicians, who provide financial help to the government in order to facilitate the establishment's jobs and especially to justify their attitude regarding the free economy.

Clerics and high employees are concerned with all religious and financial aspects respectively.

Shinghar said that "since the founding of the state, every Israeli governmental president has some connections with these establishments. For example; Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Olmert had connections with the capitalist establishment and clerics, and Ehud Barak with the military establishment as well as the capitalist establishment."

"Israel's problem is that it doesn't give any value to those possessing real power and influence, the people," the former Knesset member and teacher Yosi Sarid told Gulf News.

"Reality emphasises that even a genuine leader who is popular cannot do his job if he doesn't have a good relationship with the controlling establishments," added Sarid.

Decision-makers: Who rules israel?

• The Military establishment includes former army leaders, the present heads of security, the police, and the businessmen who deal with military industries.
• Businessmen and Capitalists establishment: It includes 12 or 18 families who have control over the economy and who own factories. It is well known that the government's presidents are members of this establishment.
• The Rabbis and Clerics establishment: It is a small institute that is concerned with the relationship between religion and state. It deals with issues of religion and the state, including army recruitment policy and the law of "Who is Jewish?"
• The High Employees establishment: A strong and a very important establishment, it includes the high-ranking employees of theFinancial Department, the Central Bank, the Ministry of Defence and Security, and the Ministry of Education. On the one hand, they make decisions and formulate important rules, and on the other hand, they are able to arrange decisions and important laws before they are implemented.