The Cabinet of Israel (officially: he, ממשלת ישראל ''Memshelet Yisrael'') exercises
executive authority in the
State of Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
. It consists of
ministers who are chosen and led by the
prime minister. The composition of the government must be approved by a
vote of confidence in the
Knesset (the Israeli parliament). Under Israeli law, the prime minister may dismiss members of the government, but must do so in writing, and new appointees must be approved by the Knesset. Most ministers lead
ministries
Ministry may refer to:
Government
* Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister
* Ministry (government department), a department of a government
Religion
* Christian mi ...
, though some are
ministers without portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister who does not head a particular ministry. The sinecure is particularly common in countries ruled by coalition governments and a cabinet ...
. Most ministers are members of the Knesset, though only the Prime Minister and the "
designated acting prime minister" are required to be Knesset members. Some ministers are also called deputy and vice prime ministers. Unlike the designated acting prime minister, these roles have no statutory meanings. The government operates in accordance with the
Basic Law. It meets on Sundays weekly in
Jerusalem. There may be additional meetings if circumstances require it.
Use of terms
The body discussed in this article is referred to in Israeli official documents as the ''Government of Israel''. This is in accordance to the normal translation of its Hebrew name, ( he, ממשלה, ''Memshala''). In Israel, the term ''cabinet'' ( he, קבינט) is generally used for the
State-Security Cabinet ( he, הקבינט המדיני-ביטחוני ''HaKabinet haMedini-Bitachoni''), a smaller forum of cabinet members that decides on defense and foreign policy issues and may consist of up to half of the (full) cabinet members. Another term in use is the
Kitchen Cabinet ( he, המטבחון, ''HaMitbahon'', lit. "The kitchenette"), a collection of senior officials, or unofficial advisers to the Security Cabinet of Israel.
Provisional and first governments of Israel
The first government was the
provisional government of Israel (''HaMemshala HaZmanit'') which governed from shortly before
independence until the formation of the
first formal government in March 1949 following the
first Knesset elections in January that year. It was formed as the People's Administration (''Minhelet HaAm'') on 12 April 1948, in preparation for independence just over a month later. All its thirteen members were taken from
Moetzet HaAm
The Provisional State Council ( he, מועצת המדינה הזמנית, ''Moetzet HaMedina HaZmanit'') was the temporary legislature of Israel from shortly before independence until the election of the first Knesset in January 1949. It took the ...
, the temporary legislative body set up at the same time.
Current government
The
thirty-sixth government of Israel ( he, מֶמְשֶׁלֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל הַשְׁלוֹשִׁים וְשְׁשׁ, Mem'shelet Yisra'el HaShloshim VeShesh) is the current government of Israel, which was sworn in on 13 June 2021.
See also
*
Basic Law: The Government
*
Israeli system of government
*
List of female cabinet ministers of Israel
References
External links
Current and past cabinets– Knesset website
Basic Law: The Government (2001)– Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cabinet of Israel
Executive branch of the government of Israel
Government of Israel
Lists of government ministers of Israel
Israel