Local Government and Policy Making in Israel: the case of welfare

The article focuses on the interaction between local-national relations and implementation of public policy in Israel. It studies the effects of administrative linkages between different levels of governmental jurisdictions involved in the implementing policies of the Ministry of Welfare. It seeks to understand their impact on the original goals and programmes of the national ministry and on actual services provided at the local level. These linkages include the arrangements for provision, funding, employment, regulation and inspection. Without denying the importance of other explanations the paper emphasizes the significance
of administrative linkages for understanding policy implementation.