THE HIDDEN AGENDA - ABORTION POLITICS IN ISRAEL

The paper examines the formulation and implementation of abortion poli tics in Israel. Liberalisation of abortion, triggered by the need to e nable poor, women to terminate unwanted pregnancies, enjoyed wide cons ensus. The highly controversial repeal of the social-cause clause, pro mpted by coalition bargaining, was aimed at encouraging fertility. Bot h policies failed to realise intentions of decision-makers. Liberalisa tion of abortion did not result in population control among the poor; restriction of abortion did not lead to increasing birth rates. The re asons for the unsuccessful impact are grounded in the hidden agenda, c aused by the incompatibility between two policy goals: curbing birth r ates among the poor and encouraging fertility among the Jewish populat ion on the whole. The hidden agenda hindered the achievement of impact : population control policy was not followed up by family planning. Po pulation growth policy was not followed up by economic incentives.