By A.M. Goldstein

HAIFA —Israel 's recent elections were full of passionate talk about social problems.  But the fact is there is no Minister of Welfare.

This seeming contradiction to party platforms and political campaign promises was pointed out by Dr. Yigal Ben-Shalom, director-general of the National Insurance Institute, at a recent talk at the University of Haifa .  The NIS is Israel 's Social Security system.

Warning that this absence of representation in the present government would make it difficult to advance "burning social subjects," Ben-Shalom advised forming a three-way partnership.  The government would join with the commercial and the non-profit sectors in this triangle. 

Such a partnership, he said, could also constitute a lever for economic growth.  In any case, it did not absolve the government from its social responsibility.  "The government must remain the responsible party for (social) policy," he stated, "but from partnership and sensitivity to other sectors."

Ben-Shalom vented his disappointment at a University of Haifa symposium devoted to "Social Responsibility: Vision and Reality."  The Mt. Carmel institution is perhaps the only university that has an advisor to the president on social responsibility.

The welfare official pointed to the growing role in the social area being played by the commercial and non-profit sectors in light of the government's welfare budget cuts and the worsening of poverty in Israel .  The government's link in this triangle, he said, was to make sure that these efforts were being planned and properly carried out.

Calling for the establishment of a social-economic council, Ben-Shalom criticized the Finance Ministry, which in effect had final say on social policy. "The ministry has excellent economists, but their net priority is naturally in the direction of economics, not welfare," he complained.

He also expressed astonishment at the apathy of Israeli citizens when it came to social matters. "Pensions are cut by millions of shekels, poverty is growing at a significant rate.  But social protest is ashamed to make an appearance," he charged.

A.M. Goldstein is the English language editor for the University of Haifa's Department of External Affairs.