State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman's office announced Sunday that it will be launching a wide-ranging review of the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Englman told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that in the last two months review teams have been working to gather information regarding the government's response, while meeting with relevant officials in preparation for the review.
He further added that the State Comptroller's office looked into how the review was conducted in other European countries as well as in the United States. Englman is not planning on investigating Netanyahu and his decision-making process during the coronavirus pandemic, although the Prime Minister was, in fact, the major decision maker throughout the pandemic.
Discussed in the letter that was addressed to both the prime minister and the ministers under whose responsibility the management of the virus in the country falls, was the that review will examine inter-ministerial cooperation throughout the pandemic. The review will also focus on the work of the National Security Council (NSC) with various other officials.
Additionally, the review will also look into the government's management of the crisis, including the preparation for the future outlook of the pandemic, informing the public and the spread of information, care for the elderly population, the management of tests and relevant laboratories, distance learning and education, the conduct of local authorities during the crisis and the budgetary management and preparation during the pandemic.
In addition to the review of the Prime Minister's Office, the NSC, the Defense Ministry will also be reviewed, as well as the Israel Defense Force, the Health Ministry and health insurance companies.The Finance Ministry and the Bank of Israel, the Interior Ministry, the National Insurance Institute as well as certain areas in the Mossad will also be reviewed.