Knesset

The Knesset (in Hebrew, הַכְּנֶסֶת‎, [ha'knesset], 'the assembly') It is the unicameral body that holds the legislative power of the State of Israel.

The origin of the name Knesset dates back to the return of the Jewish people from Babylonian exile in the v century. a. C. to Eretz Yisrael, where the Great Knéset, or Great Assembly, to which it owes its name, met. The number of parliamentarians (120) is also due to the number of members that met in that Great Assembly.

History

The traditions of the Knesset and its functioning are influenced by different events throughout history. First, it is heavily influenced by the dynamics of the Zionist Congress first convened in 1897 in Basel as a kind of parliament of the Jewish-Zionist world. Secondly, it is related to the Assembly of Representatives (Assefat Hanivharim), the supreme representative body of the Yishuv, the Jewish community in the British Mandate of Palestine. Finally, much of the Knesset's traditions and dynamics stem from the legacy of the British Parliament.

On April 18, 1948, one month before the proclamation of the State of Israel, the People's Council (Moetzet Ha'am) was created. On May 14 of that same year it became the provisional State Council who was awarded the power of temporary cabinet that ruled over the Jewish community during the British Mandate for Palestine. The meetings of this Provisional State Council were held at the Tel Aviv Museum, at the Kessem cinema and at the San Remo Hotel until the end of 1949. On December 26 of this year, the Knesset headquarters moved to his residence temporarily in Beit Frumin on King George Street in Jerusalem until finally on August 31, 1966 it moved permanently to Kyryat Ben Gurion.

The Knesset building sits on a hill in Jerusalem in a district known as Givat Ram. The building was originally financed by the Rothschild family when French philanthropist James Armand de Rothschild left an inheritance as a gift to the State of Israel in his will.

Knesset Guard

The Knesset Guard (Hebrew: Mishmar HaKnesset) is an organization responsible for the security of the Knesset and the protection of its members (deputies). The Knesset Guard is not a military unit. Guards are posted outside the building, and ushers are on duty inside. The commander of the force is a Knesset officer, ("קצין הכנסת" ("Katzin Ha-Knesset"). In addition to their day-to-day duties, the Knesset Guard has a role ceremonial, greeting dignitaries and participating in the annual ceremony on Mount Herzl on the eve of Israel's Independence Day.

Legislation

Israel does not have a Constitution that acts as a single fundamental law, but consists of thirteen basic fundamental laws drafted in the Knesset throughout the country's history that address various areas and issues of Israeli politics that, together, constitute the Constitution of the State of Israel.

Approval of laws

During the plenary sessions through which the Knesset works, debates are held on legislation introduced by the government or by individual deputies, on policy, and on government activity.

Passage of a bill must pass three readings in the Knesset:

1. The draft is submitted to the plenary and its content is under discussion. It follows the relevant commission for in-depth study and, if necessary, reformulation or changes are made. Once the commission's work is completed in this first phase, the project returns to the plenary where the second reading will take place.
2. During the second reading, the members of the commission with caveats can present them. There was then a general debate in which each draft article was put to the vote. When the debate ends, the third reading takes place if it is not requested to return to the commission previously.
3. The third reading takes place immediately after which the approval of the project as a whole is voted. If the project is finally approved, to become a precise law of the signature of the president of the session and is published in the Official Journal in which the signatures of the Prime Minister, the president of the Knéset and the minister responsible for its application, as well as the stamp of the state.

Structure and functions

President of the Knesset

The plenary session of parliament

The Knesset has a plenum which is the central and supreme authority body of Parliament. Here the resolutions of the Knesset are approved by a vote of the 120 parliamentarians that form it. Among the functions carried out in the Knesset is the presentation of bills, motions on the agenda, parliamentary questions for ministers and motions of confidence in the government. On the other hand, issues outside parliament in the form of debate are also carried out within the plenary session. In this way, the political, security, social and economic events that take place in the State of Israel are reflected. To carry out these activities in plenary, it is not necessary for all parliamentarians to be present. Thus, resolutions are adopted by a majority vote of the parliamentarians present, without prejudice to the existence of a law that requires a specific larger majority for a specific issue.

The function of the Knesset is carried out in accordance with the Knesset Rules, that is, a series of regulations, norms and provisions formulated throughout the history of Parliament through which the procedures that must be carried out are regulated. carried out in the development of the work. These Regulations are complemented in turn with the decisions of the President of Parliament and his deputies, which are interpreted by the Interpretation Committee. The Knesset Plenum authorizes amendments to the Rules, which require the approval of the House Committee and the Knesset Plenum.

The Presidium of the Knesset sets the agenda for parliament. Article 10 of the Rules of Procedure of the Knesset determines that the president of the Knesset and the deputy members of it are part of it. The Presidium hosts debates on agenda motions raised by Knesset members and preliminary reading of bills introduced during one session per week.

Knesset plenary sessions are held weekly on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Sessions are conducted in Hebrew; however, it is allowed to speak in Arabic as well, since the country recognizes both languages as official, although these speeches will be simultaneously translated into Hebrew. The only exception in terms of language occurs when a foreign guest intervenes.

The Knesset each year is divided into two assemblies that, in total, last eight months: the Summer Assembly and the Winter Assembly. During the remaining four months that the Knesset is in recess, the government is authorized to convene the Knesset for a quorum session, which is convened extraordinarily outside of regular sessions. This assembly can also be convened by 25 parliamentarians altogether.

The plenary room

Knéset Plenary Hall

Basic Laws of the State of Israel

The meetings of the plenary session of the Parliament are held in the room that is divided into two parts. On the one hand, the lower floor sits the members of the Knesset and the Government and, on the other hand, the upper part comprises the galleries for visitors.

In the plenary hall, members sit attending to their parliamentary groups. This distribution is previously determined by the Provisions Committee before the first session of each new legislature, assigning each member a permanent seat for that legislature to which it is electronically allocated. As a general rule, the first to choose a seat in parliament is the group that has won the largest number of seats. This parliamentary group usually sits to the left of the president and the second largest to the right. To the left of the President sit the Secretary General of the Knesset and the Sergeant-at-Arms; while to the right of him, is the podium for the member of parliament or person who has the floor. For his part, the Speaker of the Knesset sits in the center of the plenary session.

The seats are arranged in the form of a menorah, a 7-branched chandelier. In the center is the table reserved for members of the Government, which is shaped like a horseshoe and in the center of which the Prime Minister sits.

The front wall of the room was designed by Israeli artist Danny Caravan (1930) using Galil stone and engraved designs depicting various aspects and motifs of Jerusalem. On the left side hangs an engraved portrait of Theodor Herzl on a zinc background. The decoration was elaborated by Dora Gad, who prioritized the use of wood to cover the walls, committee rooms and part of the public areas; and, to maintain a sober and unpretentious atmosphere, she only covered some areas with polished stone.

Committees

• Regular committees: There are four types of Knéset committees that work regularly:
• Standing Committees of the Knéset: Their chairpersons are elected at the beginning of each Knéset's mandate on the recommendation of the Arrangement Committee. Following the 2015 elections, twelve committees were established: the Committee on Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs; Committee on the Status of Women and Gender Equality; Committee on Constitution, Law and Justice; Committee on Economic Affairs; Committee on Education, Culture and Sports; Finance Committee; Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence; Committee of the House of Representatives; Committee on Internal Affairs and the Environment;
• Knéset Special Committees: Their functioning is assimilated to that of the Standing Committees; however, their mandate is limited as they only function during the Knéset's mandate. Following the 2015 elections, three functional committees of this category were established: Committee on Drug Abuse, Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on Foreign Workers.
• Parliamentary Research Committee: They are appointed by the plenary. Its role is to address particular issues of particular importance to the country. Throughout history there have been the following:
• Ethics Committee: Responsible for jurisdiction over members of parliament who have infringed the ethical standards of the Knéset or who have been involved in illegal activities outside the Knéset area. The Knéset's rules of ethics require that any member dedicate his time as necessary to protect the honor of the Knéset and its members, and behave in an appropriate and correct manner as he shows his public position without taking advantage of the right to immunity. The Ethics Committee is not allowed to restrict the right of a Knéset member to vote.
• Temporary Committees: On the other hand, two types of temporary committees are distinguished within the Knéset that are called on occasional occasions when required:
• Interpretation Committee: Its role is to manage appeals against the President's interpretation during a plenary session of the Knéset Regulation or the precedents. This Committee consists of the president and eight parliamentarians elected by the House Committee.
• Public Committees: They are created to deal with Knéset issues. Members of these committees may be experts in a particular field, public figures or current or past members of the Knéset. One example is the Public Committee for the Draft Ethics Guidelines for Knéset Members.

Current composition

The 25th Knesset was elected on November 1, 2022. Total voter turnout was 4,793,641 voters, of whom 4 763 694 were valid votes. The electoral barrier (3.25%) was 154,820 votes.

Historical composition

Arab parties Left-wing parties Centro parties Right-wing parties Orthodox parties

Percentage representation of political groups in the Kneset

Year	Arab parties			Left parties			Central parties			Right-wing parties			Orthodox parties
1949	2/120			69/120			11/120			22/120			16/120
1951	5/120		3	65/120		4	7/120		4	38/120		16	5/120		11
1955	5/120			65/120			5/120		2	39/120		1	6/120		1
1959	5/120			66/120		1	6/120		1	37/120		2	6/120
1961	4/120		1	64/120		2	0/120		6	46/120		9	6/120
1965	4/120			68/120		4	0/120			42/120		4	6/120
1969	4/120			66/120		2	0/120			44/120		2	6/120
1973	3/120		1	59/120		7	0/120			53/120		9	5/120		1
1977	1/120		2	40/120		19	16/120		16	58/120		5	5/120
1981	0/120		1	52/120		12	4/120		12	57/120		1	7/120		2
1984	0/120			53/120		1	7/120		3	54/120		3	6/120		1
1988	1/120		1	52/120		1	2/120		5	52/120		2	13/120		7
1992	2/120		1	59/120		7	0/120		2	49/120		3	10/120		3
1996	9/120		7	43/120		16	4/120		4	50/120		1	14/120		4
1999	10/120		1	38/120		5	12/120		8	38/120		12	22/120		8
2003	8/120		2	28/120		10	15/120		3	53/120		15	16/120		6
2006	10/120		2	24/120		4	36/120		21	32/120		21	18/120		2
2009	11/120		1	16/120		8	28/120		8	49/120		17	16/120		2
2013	11/120			27/120		11	21/120		7	43/120		6	18/120		2
2015	13/120		2	29/120		2	21/120			44/120		1	13/120		5
Open up. 2019	10/120		3	10/120		19	35/120		14	49/120		5	16/120		3
Sep. 2019	13/120		3	11/120		1	33/120		2	47/120		2	16/120
2020	15/120		2	7/120		4	33/120			49/120		2	16/120
2021	10/120		5	13/120		6	25/120		8	56/120		7	16/120
2022	10/120			4/120		9	36/120		11	52/120		4	18/120		2

Electoral system

The Israeli electoral system is regulated by different laws. In the first place is the Basic Law of the Knesset (1958) which establishes in its article 4 that the Knesset will be elected in general, national, direct, equal, secret and proportional elections. Members of the Knesset are elected by national constituency so that the State functions as a single district through proportional representation on a closed list. However, the parliamentarian who has access to the Knesset can continue to hold his position as an independent or in another formation in the event that he leaves the party with which he entered the Knesset, that is, his seat belongs to him in a personal capacity.. Suffrage is universal for people over 18 years of age, that is, all citizens over 18 years of age have the right to vote. There is an exception whereby the courts are granted the power to deprive a citizen of the right to vote. During election day, each person casts a vote for a political party that will represent them in parliament. Election day is a holiday and, in order to try to guarantee access to vote for all citizens, free travel on public transport is offered on that day and voting is facilitated for the military and Israeli officials stationed in the foreign. However, voting by mail is not allowed.

Chart on the social and religious diversity of Israel.

In this sense, the configuration of the circumscription that considers the country as a single district and does not include a distribution by territories, facilitates the diversity of parties within Parliament, which reflects the composition of Israeli society made up of a great diversity. of social and religious groups whose collective interests are represented through many parties. In this way, when exercising the right to vote, each person finds as many ballots as political parties appear in the elections. Each ballot paper bears in Hebrew or Arabic the initials of the party that previously had to be registered as the representatives of the formation. Sometimes when these acronyms are already chosen, others are chosen that, sometimes, are not directly related to the name of the party. This system is of great importance for the correct development of electoral day since 22.03% of the population of Israel is made up of immigrants, of which a significant part may not know the language.

Papers for the 2019 elections in Israel

Bader-Offer method for the distribution of seats

Israel's electoral system is known as the Bader-Ofer method, after parliamentarians Yohanan Bader and Avraham Ofer, who in 1973 proposed its adoption. This system was applied for the first time in the eighth elections held that same year, with the aim that the votes of those parties that failed to overcome the electoral barrier would also be taken into account in the calculation of the electoral distribution. This method establishes that, after the elections, the distribution of seats between the different parties that have exceeded the threshold of 3.25% of the total is calculated of votes counted as valid in the elections. This result would establish the minimum number of votes that a party must add to be able to enter the Knesset. The distribution of seats is made by dividing the number of valid votes by the total of 120 seats to determine the number of votes that a seat is worth. This figure is called the “general indicator” or “meter”. Next, the votes received by each party are divided by this meter to obtain the number of seats that corresponds to each of the formations. In this first distribution, the total of 120 seats were not awarded, resorting to the distribution of the remaining seats to the Bader-Ofer method. In this way, one must take into account, first of all, the surplus vote agreements signed between different parties before the elections, if any. Next, the parties that would benefit from these excess seats are calculated by dividing the number of valid votes for each party by the number of seats initially allocated to it plus one. After the distribution of seats, the parties can propose their candidate to fill the post of prime minister.

Explanatory example

As an example, during the 2003 Israeli parliamentary elections a total of 3,200,773 people voted. Of all of them, 3,148,364 votes were counted as valid. To determine at what number of votes the electoral barrier is situated, the 3.25% of 3 148 is calculated 364, resulting in 102 321. This figure is, therefore, the minimum number of votes that a party must obtain to be able to enter the Knesset, leaving out those formations with a lower number of votes. By applying this barrier, the total number of valid party votes stands at 3,016,624.

Next, to determine the number of votes a seat is worth, divide 3 016 624 votes by 120, giving 25,138 votes per seat. In this way, the general indicator or meter is located at 25,138 votes and, to determine the number of seats for each party, the number of votes is divided of each party by this meter, resulting in a total of 113 assigned seats, leaving 7 seats to be awarded (excess votes) to occupy the total of 120 seats in the Knesset. To award the latter, the total number of valid votes for each party is divided by the number of seats assigned to it after the first calculation plus 1. From this calculation, the first seat is assigned to the party that has obtained the highest quotient after the application of the method, adjudicating those who continue to proceed in the same way.