The fines were canceled • Students from Haifa failed to attack the 'Rav-Ko'

(haipo) - Parents of five children attending schools in Haifa contacted the Public Complaints Ombudsman and complained about the fact that their children received reports for non-payment of bus fares, due to overcrowding that prevented them from reaching the ticket machine. Following the Commission's intervention, the fines were canceled and the payment fees were returned.

Many failures and deficiencies in the government's treatment of citizens

During the 'Iron Swords' war, many failures and deficiencies emerged in the government's treatment of civilians. This is according to the annual ombudsman's report published by the State Comptroller and ombudsman, Matanyahu Engelman, today Monday 2/6/24.

The report shows that in 2023, the Public Complaints Commission received a total of 22,356 letters of complaint about public bodies from among the residents of the country, an increase of 7% compared to their number in 2022. This is a record year for the number of complaints received. In the years 2023-2019, there was a 57% increase in the number of complaint letters received by the Commission.

The National Transportation Authority rejected the request for cancellation - the Commission intervened

Among the applicants to the Ombudsman were parents of five children attending schools In Haifa, who complained about the fact that the children received reports for non-payment of bus fares, even though the bus was very crowded which prevented them from reaching the ticket machine.

The National Authority for Public Transportation rejected the requests submitted by the children's parents to cancel the reports. This, even though in the directives of the director of the National Authority for Operators it is stated that "one should not demand an increased fare on a bus that was loaded with passengers in a way that blocked a passenger's way to a proper validation device".

After the intervention of the Commission, the authority examined the requests again and instructed Egged to cancel the reports and return the amounts paid. The Authority even informed the Commission that it changed the enforcement policy, and from now on any complaint about an inspector who gave a report even though the bus was overcrowded will be considered a complaint about the operator's deviation from the Authority's guidelines and will be transferred to an administrative enforcement procedure at the Authority.

43% of the complaints were found to be justified

43% of the complaints that the Commission had the authority to investigate in 2023 were found to be justified or corrected (a rate close to that of 2022 - 44%). 31.4% of the complaints handled in 2023 dealt with the issue of public service - and 52.6% of them were found to be justified. In 2023, complainants who applied to the Public Complaints Commission and others who were affected by the Commission's decisions received a total sum of approximately NIS 33.4 million.

Due to the importance of the issue, the Commission will publish a special report in 2024 that will deal with the issue of the quality of service provided by public bodies in the State of Israel. 5,183 complaints, which are close to a quarter of all complaints (23%), dealt with local government bodies.

State Comptroller and Public Grievances Ombudsman Matanyahu Engelman: "During the 'Iron Swords' war, many failures and deficiencies emerged in the government's treatment of citizens. Representatives of the Public Complaints Commission in the State Comptroller's Office reached about 90 evacuee centers and managed to help most of the complainants.  
Immediately after the outbreak of the war, the Commission activated a hotline to serve applicants and complainants. The commission's teams even go to assembly areas of reserve soldiers, to allow them to submit complaints to the commission quickly and easily. The prime minister and the relevant ministers must make sure that the Civil Defense will provide a proper and effective response to all evacuees, especially from the north."

Already at the beginning of the war, the Public Complaints Commission realized that in view of its role, its experience and its ability to quickly and efficiently reach all the relevant parties in the public service, it must act immediately to help as much as possible the population in need of help due to the state of emergency.
The Commission decided not to wait for inquiries to reach it, but to take proactive actions to quickly and efficiently reach those who need assistance. From 7/10/23 to 31/12/24, the Public Complaints Commission received 1,627 complaints related to the Iron Swords War. 55% of the complaints that the commission had the authority to investigate and whose investigation was completed, were corrected. 68% of the complaints related to the state of emergency were received through the hotline and the meetings with the evacuees throughout the country.