The Omnibus Law of Arrangements in the State’s Economy was first enacted in 1985 as a supplement to the economic program for stabilizing the economy. The difficult situation of the Israeli economy at that time mandated an emergency program that contradicted in part existing laws and agreements in central sectors such as labor relations, wages and taxes In order to validate the legality of the economic program, the Government grouped a combination of laws and legislative adjustments in a number of different areas under one roof and brought them to the Knesset for approval en bloc. The Omnibus Law of Arrangements, which originated as an emergency law, has since that time become customary and is annually brought before the Knesset in tandem with the Budget Law.

The Omnibus Law of Arrangements is presented to the Knesset as a Government-sponsored law. The law is considered supplementary to the Budget Law and combines an assortment of laws and legislative adjustments that the Government deems it necessary for the Knesset to adopt and approve in order to enable it to carry out its policy and economic program.

The Omnibus Law of Arrangements differs from the majority of laws enacted by the Knesset in its structure and its legislative process. While regular laws deal with one specific, well-defined topic, the Omnibus Law of Arrangements serves as a “platform” for laws and legislative adjustments in various areas. Moreover, while other proposed legislation is turned over to particular Knesset committees for deliberation as per the legislative norm in parliamentary systems, the Omnibus Law of Arrangements is passed to one committee ( usually the Finance Committee) as a single unit and that committee deliberates on all sections of the law within a short, predetermined period of time at the end of which it returns the legislation to the Knesset plenary for final approval. In the current situation, the Omnibus Law of Arrangements serves as a unique governmental instrument that aids the Government, through reliance on the coalition majority, in speeding up legislation, overcoming parliamentary obstacles and proposing legislative activities and bringing them to completion without systematic deliberation, appropriate oversight and critiquing.

The special structure of the Omnibus Law of Arrangements and its speedy and peculiar legislative process arouse strenuous criticism both within and outside of the Knesset. The criticism is focused on the political-civic and legal aspects; deviation from the norm of democratic governance that demands accountability, transparency and an effective system of checks and balances in public policy formation in general and in legislation in particular. Despite repeated criticism, to date no significant steps have been taken to rescind the law or to introduce qualitative changes in its makeup.

The Omnibus Law of Arrangements, by its very existence influences political and economic processes, with the process of forming the national budget at the forefront.

The Omnibus Law of Arrangements reflects - and sometime even creates - political and professional norms and thus becomes a significant factor influencing the considerations of the decision-makers, the bases of political and economic strength and the degree of internalization of democratic norms in the political and civic systems in Israel.

Recent Articles by Rabbi Idit Lev

• Rabbis for Human Rights protests against the expansion of the Wisconsin plan - September 26th, 2008
• Rabbis for Human Rights calls on Government not to expand the Wisconsin Plan - September 19th, 2008
• RHR protests against procedural irregularities of Wisconsin Plan - August 28th, 2008
• Volunteers Needed for Wisconsin Plan - August 28th, 2008
• RHR supports Empowerment Group for Women - August 21st, 2008
• RHR fights budget cuts that increases social inequalities - August 14th, 2008
• RHR promotes user friendly forms for Wisconsin Plan participants - August 14th, 2008
• RHR and the iniquities of the welfare to work program - July 18th, 2008
• From Welfare to Nowhere: Promoting Human Dignity for victims of the Wisconsin Plan - July 3rd, 2008
• Demonstration against the Economic Arrangements Law - December 13th, 2007
• Victory in the Regional Labor Court - November 4th, 2006
• Conference of local mayors opposed to the Wisconsin Plan - November 4th, 2006
• Ensure Economic Justice: Help the victims of the Wisconsin Plan - September 29th, 2006
• Re'e: Human Rights and ignorance and abandonment by the government - August 17th, 2006
• The Wisconsin Program: What really happens - August 11th, 2006
• Rabbis for Human Rights activists succeed in influencing changes to the Israeli Wisconsin Program - August 4th, 2006
• Rabbis for Human Rights seeks to secure Social security allowances for all Wisconsin Program Participants - July 21st, 2006
• Rabbis For Human Rights protects the rights of the unemployed - July 13th, 2006
• RHR succeeds in modifying the the Omnibus Law of Arrangements (Economic Arrangements Bill) - June 29th, 2006
• RHR demonstrates for Social Justice - June 23rd, 2006
• Rabbis For Human Rights Opposes the Omnibus Law of Arrangements (Economic Arrangements Bill) - May 22nd, 2006
• Omnibus Law of Arrangements: Background Information - May 22nd, 2006
• Rabbi Idit Lev - May 22nd, 2006
• Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson's Speech to the Knesset Plenum – State Budget and Arrangements Law for 2006 - May 8th, 2006
• Vaethannan: Acceptance of the land, and forgetting God - August 19th, 2005

Categories: Economic Justice
Tags: agreement, Bo, human rights, ISM, order, palestinians, settlers