These disturbing facts were published recently in a report issued by the Israeli Center for the Citizen Empowerment. "In fact," says Adi Steinberg, the CEO of the center, "Israel is not really governed. Ministers and members of the Knesset are too busy surviving politically." The center found that 80 percent of the ministers' time is devoted to making sure that they get reelected. This means that the ministers have almost no time to make any lasting impression on their fields of responsibility. Government bureaucrats, knowing that the ministers' terms will be short, usually do not even bother to implement new policies. 

These facts become even more disturbing when the latest events in the Likud Party are taken into account. This week, the 3,000 members of the Likud Central Committee will meet to decide if they want Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to continue to lead the party, and the government, or if they want to shorten his term of office and elect someone else.

Since becoming a state, Israel has had 11 prime ministers. The longest tenure award goes to David Ben-Gurion, the founding father of the State of Israel. He stood at the helm of the State for 141 months, during eight different governments. Second place goes to Yitzhak Shamir, with 80 months and four governments. Menachem Begin lasted for 76 months and two governments, Levi Eshkol for 69 months and three governments. The shortest term as prime minister award goes to Ehud Barak - only 20 months, in a single government.

Ariel Sharon has been in office for 55 months in two governments - with the length of his second term still pending. But when all the statistics are spelled out, whatever the outcome of the Likud feud will be, it seems that something is not working with the Israeli system of government.