Movement for Quality Government in Israel

{{Short description|Israeli civic watchdog group}}

{{pp|small=yes}}

{{Expand Hebrew}}

{{Infobox organization

| name = Movement for Quality Government in Israel

| native_name = התנועה למען איכות השלטון בישראל

| native_name_lang = he

| image = Movement for Quality Government in Israel, member card.jpg

| caption = Membership card

| formation = March 1990

| founder = Eliad Shraga

| founding_location = {{flag|Israel}}

| purpose = Advocating for quality government and anti-corruption measures

}}

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel ({{langx|he|התנועה למען איכות השלטון בישראל}}, HaTenu'a Lema'an Ekhut HaShilton BeYisrael) is a non-profit organization promoting democracy, ethics and good governance in Israel.{{cite book|title=The Israeli Response to Jewish Extremism and Violence: Defending Democracy|author=Ami Pedahzur|year=2002|publisher=Manchester University Press|page=152|isbn=978-0-7190-6372-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2m-AmD2TbaEC&pg=PA152}}{{cite book|title=The Crooked Timber of Democracy in Israel: Promise Unfulfilled|author=Dahlia Scheindlin|publisher=De Gruyter|year=2023|isbn=978-3-11-079667-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_D3nEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA1974}} It is a regular and longstanding petitioner of the Supreme Court of Israel.[https://versa.cardozo.yu.edu/searching/contents/Movement%20for%20Quality%20Government%20in%20Israel Entries in VERSA: Opinions of the Supreme Court of Israel] (at the Cardozo School of Law)

The organisation was founded in March 1990 by lawyer {{ill|Eliad Shraga|he|אליעד שרגא}},{{cite web|url=https://k-larevue.com/en/eliad-shraga-this-government-is-a-group-of-crooks-with-no-regard-for-the-benefit-of-israel/|title=Eliad Shraga : "This government is a group of crooks with no regard for the benefit of Israel"|website=K|date=30 May 2024}} initially as a protest movement during the coalition crisis.{{cite news |last1=Starr |first1=Michael |title=Movement for Quality Gov't's Eliad Shraga fights Israeli judicial reform |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-733907 |work=The Jerusalem Post |date=March 10, 2023}} It created a yearly "Knight of Quality Government" award, with categories including executive, judiciary, legislative, local government, media and military/security.{{cite web|url=https://main.knesset.gov.il/en/news/pressreleases/pages/pr13789_pg.aspx|title=Speaker Edelstein during "Knight of Quality Government" award ceremony: "Corruption, wherever it is exposed, must be eradicated uncompromisingly"|date=27 February 2018|website=Knesset}}

In 2020 the group unsuccessfully petitioned the Supreme Court of Israel to bar Benjamin Netanyahu from power.{{cite news |last1=Halbfinger |first1=David M. |title=He Indicted Netanyahu, but Sees No Reason to Bar Him From Office |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/30/world/middleeast/israel-netanyahu-corruption-mandelblit.html |work=The New York Times |date=30 April 2020}} It opposed the 2023 Israeli judicial reform,{{cite news |title=Mass protests erupt after Netanyahu fires defense chief |url=https://apnews.com/article/israel-legal-courts-corruption-netanyahu-40c11160c9a93cc717dcf61eed52dda6 |work=AP News |date=27 March 2023}} and led protests against the proposals.{{cite news |last1=Rubin |first1=Shira |last2=Berger |first2=Miriam |last3=Taylor |first3=Adam |title=What to know about Israel's protests and judicial overhaul plan |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/27/israel-protests-judicial-reform/ |newspaper=Washington Post |date=27 March 2023}} The organisation petitioned against various parts of the reforms, with the High Court ruling in its favour in January 2024 over removing the ability of courts to strike down amendments to basic laws.{{cite web|url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-hcj-strikes-back-israel-s-supreme-court-pulls-the-plug-on-judicial-reform|title=The HCJ Strikes Back: Israel's Supreme Court Pulls the Plug on "Judicial Reform"|website=Lawfare|date=11 January 2024}} Later in 2024, amid the Gaza war, it successfully petitioned for the government to implement immediate drafting of Hardei yeshiva students.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/high-court-ruling-means-idf-draft-for-haredim-must-start-immediately-movement-for-quality-government-claims/|title=High Court ruling means IDF draft for Haredim must start immediately, Movement for Quality Government claims|website=The Times of Israel}}