And only Kish did not submit: contrary to his duty, the Minister of Education has not provided a capital declaration

Minister of Education Yoav Kish has not submitted a capital declaration since the beginning of his term, contrary to his duty. This was learned on Monday by Walla. Despite seven reminders sent to him, Kish remains the only minister finishing a full term who has not submitted the declaration, and one of two ministers (alongside Ze'ev Elkin) who have failed to submit at all.

The information was obtained from the State Comptroller's Office in response to a request filed by the Movement for Freedom of Information. Elkin, who began serving as a minister in the Ministry of Finance in November 2024, has received four warnings from the Comptroller's Office.

Other ministers have also refused to provide declarations until recently. Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, for example, submitted his only in January. Ron Dermer finished his term as Minister of Strategic Affairs without submitting a capital declaration, ignoring six reminder letters, and Sharren Haskel acted similarly despite four warnings.

According to the rules for preventing conflicts of interest established in 2003, ministers are required to submit a capital declaration to the Comptroller within 60 days of the beginning of their term and annually thereafter. The declaration includes a report on capital, assets, rights, and liabilities. However, the Comptroller lacks defined powers to enforce compliance among ministers who fail to fulfill this duty.

"Through the duty of disclosure, it is possible to identify in advance situations of conflict of interest, track unexplained changes in assets and economic interests, and reduce the risk of exploiting public office for personal gain. Thus, capital declarations contribute to strengthening public trust in government authorities and maintaining the integrity of their operation," the Ministry of Justice website states.

It was further clarified that "alongside their preventive role, capital declarations fulfill a deterrent role. The duty to report, and the knowledge that information may be examined, encourage adherence to high ethical standards and set clear boundaries for the economic conduct of public servants."

"What is the Minister of Education hiding?", wondered the CEO of the Movement for Freedom of Information, Adv. Idi Negev. "Not only are the capital declarations of government members kept in a safe at the State Comptroller's Office and are not transparent to the public, but now it is revealed that despite the legal duty to submit a declaration every year and a large number of reminders, there are ministers who did not submit during their entire term."

In response, Ze'ev Elkin stated: "Minister Ze'ev Elkin was appointed last November as the minister responsible for the rehabilitation of the North and the South. During his term, he led and passed dozens of government decisions totaling about 30 billion NIS for the benefit of rehabilitation and development. In parallel, the minister was in charge of the rapid implementation of programs, including accompanying the entire process of residents' return to the North."

"In light of his busy schedule, Minister Elkin has not yet been able to complete the submission of the capital declaration. He will complete and submit it in the coming months. Minister Elkin has no shares or companies in his ownership and has no assets other than his residential home; therefore, the declaration is not expected to be complex and will not differ from those he has submitted many times in previous terms."

No response has yet been received from Kish.