6. Political Entrepreneurship and Policy Change in the End of Life Debate in Israel

The issue of dying with dignity has gained broad public resonance in recent decades due to technological developments that have steadily raised average life expectancy, and the deepening internalization of liberal rights discourse in society. Along with these developments, the involvement of institutional entrepreneurship in policy change has been increasing too. Some countries have already regulated dying with dignity in various ways (for example, Oregon legalized assisted suicide in 1998; the Netherlands legalized active euthanasia in 2001). Nevertheless, until 2000, this issue was not regulated in Israel, leaving it in the hands of the court system. That year, Israeli Health Minister Benizri announced the establishment of a public professional committee to compile a comprehensive bill on the matter, which led to a process of thorough legislation that was concluded at the end of 2005, when the Dying Patient Law underwent a second and third reading in the Israeli Parliament (Knesset).