Government ministries, law enforcement officials and executives from Israel’s largest state-owned companies convened at the Israel Electric Corporation site in Rishon Lezion yesterday for an emergency meeting on efforts to prevent organized crime groups from infiltrating the public sector and taking control of state infrastructure projects.
The conference was held through a joint initiative of the Prime Minister’s Office’s task force combating crime in Arab society and the Government Companies Authority, following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s directive to intensify the fight against crime and establish oversight mechanisms to prevent criminal organizations from entering public tenders.
During the meeting, participants discussed operational tools for dealing with threats including protection rackets and attempts to take over government tenders. The Government Companies Authority presented data supporting concerns that crime organizations have been attempting to penetrate these tenders.
Following the discussions, participants agreed to establish interagency cooperation between state-owned companies, government ministries, law enforcement bodies and regulators. They also decided to examine advancing an amendment to the Public Bodies Transactions Law during the election period, with the goal of strengthening the government mechanism for blocking criminal corporations from participating in tenders.
It was further agreed that the forum would continue meeting in order to pool authorities and resources.
The event included professional roundtable discussions attended by senior representatives from the National Security Ministry, Israel Police, the Justice Ministry, the State Attorney’s Office, the Tax Authority, the Competition Authority, the Defense Ministry’s National Economic Counter-Terrorism Bureau and the Housing and Construction Ministry. The discussions focused on methods for combating protection rackets, preventing criminal elements from infiltrating tenders and protecting threatened public employees.
Representatives from the Finance Ministry, the National Security Council and the Enforcement and Collection Authority also took part in the discussions.
Attorney Roi Cahlon, head of the Prime Minister’s Office task force combating crime in Arab society, addressed the threats, saying: "Organized crime is a strategic threat to the economy and sovereignty of the state. In order to collapse the economic mechanisms of criminal organizations, and in accordance with the prime minister’s directive, we are working to create close cooperation between civilian, criminal and economic enforcement bodies. The partnership we established today with the Government Companies Authority is a critical force multiplier that will help block illegal financing channels and protect honest contractors and service providers."
Government Companies Authority director CPA Roi Kahlon emphasized the importance of the move from an economic perspective, saying: "Government companies manage assets worth more than NIS 300 billion, carry out investments worth tens of billions of shekels annually and establish Israel’s national infrastructure. Precisely because of the scale of this activity, we have a responsibility to ensure that public funds are managed in an environment free from criminal influence, while maintaining fair competition and public trust."