Israel's Knesset Fails to Regulate Lobbying Despite Record Activity
Translated & summarized from Shakuf by baba
Despite a record year for lobbying activities, Israel's 25th Knesset failed to advance any significant reforms to regulate the industry. The current lobbying law is considered weak internationally, with limited transparency requirements and a narrow definition of lobbyists. An organization called Lobby 99 has proposed new legislation to cover lobbying at government ministries, as the existing law only addresses Knesset activities. With upcoming elections, there is little indication that the next Knesset will prioritize these much-needed reforms.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel's 25th Knesset saw record lobbying activity but failed to pass reforms to regulate the industry.
- The current Israeli lobbying law is considered weak internationally, with minimal transparency and a narrow definition of lobbyists.
- Lobby 99 CEO Linor Deutsch called the 25th Knesset a missed opportunity for lobbying regulation.
- The existing law only covers lobbying within the Knesset, excluding activities directed at government ministries.
- No member of Knesset proposed legislation to amend the lobbying law during the 25th Knesset's term.
- Upcoming elections offer no clear promise of reform, according to party platforms.
The 25th Knesset saw a record number of lobbying activities, with 1,091 clients represented by 366 lobbyists from 83 organizations. Despite this surge and the fact that Israel's lobbying law is considered weak internationally, the Knesset failed to advance any significant reforms to regulate the industry. No member of Knesset proposed legislation to amend the existing law, which has been in need of deep reform for years.
Even opposition members, who advocate for increased trust in democratic institutions, did not introduce bills to enhance transparency in lobbying. The only legislative initiative mentioning lobbyists was a bill by MK Alon Schuster in June 2026, near the end of the Knesset's term. This proposal aimed to prevent lobbyists from donating to candidates in party primaries, but it was considered unserious and impractical as it only applied to parties holding primaries, excluding Schuster's own party.
Linor Deutsch, CEO of Lobby 99, described the 25th Knesset as a missed opportunity, stating that not only was no significant reform advanced, but existing rules were also poorly enforced. She noted instances of lobbyists operating without required identification badges and highlighted that the current law only covers lobbying activities within the Knesset, leaving lobbying efforts directed at government ministries unregulated. Lobby 99 has drafted a bill to address this gap and plans to promote it with the next government.
Israel's original lobbying law, enacted in 2008 with the aim of increasing transparency, was once considered a promising start. However, compared to international standards, it is now seen as weak. While other countries have strengthened their regulations, Israel's law has seen only minor additions, such as requiring lobbyists to be registered in committee meeting protocols and establishing a six-month cooling-off period for parliamentary advisors moving into lobbying. The law's definition of a lobbyist is also narrow, excluding those who lobby government ministries and only encompassing third-party lobbyists, unlike broader definitions in countries like Canada and Ireland.
Furthermore, Israel's transparency requirements are minimal, meeting only three out of 16 parameters identified by the OECD. Crucial information such as the interests lobbyists are hired to promote, the bodies they interact with, and their meetings with decision-makers is not publicly disclosed. The law also falls short in addressing the "revolving door" phenomenon, with significantly shorter cooling-off periods compared to countries like Canada, and lacks the detailed public service history information required in the US.
Mentioned
