Parliamentary Oversight of the Security Establishment and Security Policy from the Perspective of Six Years of Experience as an Active Mk

תקציר

The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is unique among the Knesset’s committees in both its disciplines and its mode of operation. An examination of the Committee’s work from the perspective of one who served on it in senior roles, however, reveals structural and conceptual faults that prevent optimal fulfillment of the Committee’s purpose—overseeing Israel’s foreign policy and security bodies. The weakness of government and civilian oversight of the security establishment renders this failure even more serious. This article analyzes these said weaknesses, and offers practical proposals to solve the problem and strengthen the critical oversight framework.