Adv. Rotem Bavli Dvir: “If a minister uses public funds for his political advancement, this is corruption in the fullest sense of the word. Israel’s children must not be held hostage in a game of political musical chairs”
The Movement for Quality Government in Israel today, 10 March 2025, made an urgent request to the attorney general, the state attorney, the Police commissioner, and the head of the Police investigations and intelligence Division, demanding to commence a criminal investigation against education minister Yoav Kisch. This follows reports published yesterday, 9 March 2025, by Kan 11 television, which raises serious suspicions that Minister Kisch is linking the allocation of educational resources to local authorities with recruiting members for the Likud Party.
According to Yifat Glick’s investigation, Minister Kish runs a system of allocating budgets and resources to local authorities based on political criteria: mayors who recruit Likud party members and assist in the minister’s political advancement are prioritized in the allocation of educational resources. In contrast, mayors who refuse to act for his advancement suffer damage to the educational resources in their city.
In the letter the Movement for Quality Government in Israel mentions that this is similar conduct to that revealed in a similar investigation in May 2024 in the case of transport minister Miri Regev. In that case, the police opened a criminal investigation following the Movement’s request.
The request further claims that the conduct described in the investigation establishes suspicion of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. The practice whereby the minister of education accepts a “bribe” in the form of political promotion in exchange for prioritizing the allocation of educational resources amounts to a serious violation of the public interest and public trust in government authorities.
Adv. Rotem Bavli Dvir, head of the legal department at the Movement for Quality Government in Israel: “We are witnessing serious conduct that raises suspicions of breach of trust and even bribery, in which a senior minister in the State of Israel uses his powers to divert public resources for his own political advancement. This is corruption in the fullest sense of the word, and those who are ultimately harmed are Israeli students. Israeli children must not be taken hostage in the game of political musical chairs. We call on law enforcement authorities to intervene immediately and investigate this serious matter.”
