Global Corruption Barometer finds 'huge distrust between politicians and public in Israel'

Eighty-two percent of Israelis believe the public sector to be extremely corrupt.

By STEPHANIE RUBENSTEIN
netanyahu knesset speech 248 88 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
netanyahu knesset speech 248 88
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
Eighty-two percent of Israelis believe the public sector to be extremely corrupt, according to a study released on Wednesday by Transparency International, a non-profit organization that aims to promote ethics. The public sector includes the country's political parties, parliament and civil servants. For the sixth Global Corruption Barometer, the study conducted by the organization, over 73,000 people aged 16 and older were interviewed in 69 countries. The report was conducted between October 2008 and March 2009, and the margin of error is four percent. "There is a huge distrust between the politicians and the public in Israel," Galia Sagi, CEO of Transparency International told The Jerusalem Post. "I think that all of the [public] sectors need to take action to rebuild this trust." On a global level, political parties and the civil service sectors are seen as the most corrupt entities. The general public questions their respective country's policy-making procedures, according to the report, where data shows more than half of the participants believe bribery is a used to shape policy and regulation. Israeli participants raised the corruption level ratings for political parties a tenth of a point, to rank 4.3 out of 5, with 5 being the most corrupt, when compared with data taken in 2006, the most recent report to individually analyze Israel. The public sector needs to "wake up," Sagi said, to begin rebuilding its failing relationship with the Israeli public. Accountability is a key component for fighting corruption, she said, adding that ethics programs for ministers and the parliament should be implemented. Overall, survey participants worldwide viewed government as ineffective against fighting corruption, where 56% of those interviewed thought anti-corruption measures were not productive in bringing change. "We have a lot to do," Sagi said. "Only if there will be action will the public feel that something is different."