Dudi Amsalem Advances Plan to Expand Anti-Racism Unit's Powers

Minister Dudi Amsalem is advancing a government decision that would significantly expand the powers of the Government Unit for Coordination of the Fight Against Racism in the Justice Ministry and place dedicated officials in every government ministry.

Amsalem is currently promoting a government resolution to greatly broaden the authority of the governmental unit for coordinating the fight against racism, which operates under the Justice Ministry. The move is expected to change the way discrimination complaints are handled across all government ministries. According to the proposal, each government ministry would have an official responsible for preventing racism, and the government unit would gain supervisory, monitoring and guidance authority over the handling of complaints, giving a body connected to the Justice Ministry a direct presence in the management of ministries, alongside the ministers and director generals.

In addition, the definitions of racism and discrimination would be expanded into a broad and vague framework that would ostensibly allow almost any employee or service recipient to file a complaint about a managerial or professional decision. The procedure would also allow anonymous complaints. Alongside those welcoming the move, figures in the Knesset criticized it. "Amsalem was elected on the ticket of fighting bureaucratic rule, but in practice he is advancing yet another power mechanism of the Justice Ministry inside government ministries. This is a severe blow to governance." According to them, under the banner of fighting racism, a mechanism is being established that transfers powers from elected officials to legal bureaucracy.

The unit was originally established following protests by Israelis of Ethiopian origin and the recommendations of the Plamor Committee, and focused on institutional racism. The proposed expansion would fundamentally change its character.