The New Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, has ordered the 25 politicians at his cabinet table to be punctual and polite.
Mr Sharon, who took office last week, seems to want to reshape public discourse in a country where debate is nearly always impassioned and courtesy a sometimes secondary issue.
The newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth yesterday listed the prime ministerial orders: be on time, keep comments to a minimum at government meetings - and never shout down a cabinet colleague.
Mr Sharon assembled his new troops for the first time on Monday. Yedioth Ahronoth said it was the first time ever a cabinet meeting had begun on time.
"It's definitely not a picnic having so many politicians in one government," said a leading political scientist, Mr Ephraim Inbar.
Mr Inbar said Mr Sharon would play on his ministers' fear of new elections which, if forced, would take place under a new voting system that would reduce the size of smaller parties, especially the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Shas party.