The State Comptroller and Ombudsman, Matanyahu Englman, published the Ombudsman's annual report. In 2024, the Office of the Ombudsman received 21,592 complaints against public bodies
The State Comptroller and Ombudsman, Matanyahu Englman, published (1.7.25) the Ombudsman's annual report for 2024. During 2024, the Office of the Ombudsman at the Office of the State Comptroller received 21,592 complaints against public bodies. 46% of the complaints were found to be justified or were rectified – this is an increase of 7% in comparison to 2023.
Last year there was a 500% jump in the number of complaints against the Ministry of National Security (1,436 of the total number of complaints received). The reason: The hundreds of thousands of applications for firearms licenses submitted after the outbreak of the war. More than 85% of the complaints against the Ministry of National Security were found to be justified.
"A 500% jump in the number of complaints in the matter of applications for a firearms license warrants a thorough investigation at the Ministry of National Security", said Comptroller and Ombudsman Englman. "Another disturbing issue is the fact that even at the end of 2024 – more than one year after the start of the Swords of Iron War – thousands of complaints against government ministries were found to be justified. The Minister of National Security and the other relevant ministers must award the service to the public during this time of emergency top priority and rectify whatever needs improving".
It should be noted that 33% of all the complaints were about the service to the public, 9% in the matter of education, 7% dealt with consumer affairs, 5% dealt with licensing (firearms, driving, vehicle and business), 4% in the matter of health and 4% in the matter of taxation.
When the Swords of Iron War broke out, the Office of the Ombudsman began to operate the hotline, a telephone help line for whoever required assistance vis-à-vis the public bodies during the state of emergency. When Operation Rising Lion began, the hotline expanded its activity. At the same time, teams from the Office of the Ombudsman went to the sites to document complaints: Until now, visits have been conducted in about 90 evacuee centers all over the country and in reserve soldiers' assembly areas.
Since October 7, 2023, and until December 31, 2024, the Office of the Ombudsman received 3,872 complaints connected to the Swords of Iron War – 2,269 of which were received during 2024. 67.1% of the complaints connected to the war, which the Office of the Ombudsman was competent to investigate, were found to be justified or were rectified.
A higher number of complaints was recorded in all matters pertaining to the Swords of Iron War: 67.1% of these complaints were found to be justified or were rectified.
The Office of the Ombudsman received 999 complaints from evacuees concerning the state of emergency (from the beginning of the war until the end of 2024). This constitutes 26% of all the complaints received in this matter. The main complaints from evacuees were in the following matters: Grants connected to the state of emergency, the service to the public (the functioning of the service hotlines, the handling of inquiries), the evacuation of the population and the handling of the evacuees, compensation for the damages incurred as a result of the war, allowances (payments to victims of hostile activity and unemployment benefit).
