Knesset

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Knesset
Type Unicameral
Houses Not Applicable
Speaker of the Knesset Dalia Itzik, Kadima, since May 4, 2006
Deputy Speaker Majalli Wahabi, Kadima, since May 4, 2006
Members 120
Political groups
(as of March 28, 2006 elections)		 Kadima
Labour-Meimad
Shas
Likud
Meeting place Knesset, Jerusalem, Israel
Web site http://www.knesset.gov.il/index.html
Though similar-sounding, Beit Knesset (בית כנסת) literally means "House of Assembly," and refers to a synagogue.

The Knesset (כנסת, Hebrew for "assembly") is the legislature of Israel. It is located in Jerusalem, the capital and seat of government of the State of Israel.

The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset enacts laws, elects the prime minister (although he is ceremonially appointed by the President), supervises the work of the government, reserves the power to remove the President of the State and the State Comptroller from office and to dissolve itself and call new elections.

The Knesset first convened on February 14, 1949. Every 4 years (or less if early elections are held, as is often the case), 120 members of the Knesset (MK) are elected by Israeli citizens who must be 18 years old to vote. The Government of Israel must be approved by a majority vote of the Knesset.

The Knesset has de jure parliamentary supremacy and can pass any laws by a simple majority, even those that conflict with the Basic Laws of Israel, as it is also a Constituent Assembly. Nonetheless, the Knesset's right to function effectively has been greatly curtailed due to the inherent flaws of the low threshold party list proportional representation that usually results in a fractious government dependent on unstable coalitions. Hence, de facto, the Supreme Court of Israel has greatly expanded its authority through judicial review to nearly every aspect of Knesset legislation at the expense of the Knesset's authority.

The Knesset is guarded by the Knesset Guard.

Contents

[edit] Latest election

Israel

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Main article: Israeli legislative election, 2006
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Summary of the 28 March 2006 Knesset of Israel election results
Parties Votes % Seats +/-
Kadima 1 690,901 22.02% 29 new
Labour-Meimad 2 472,366 15.06% 19 -2
Shas 299,054 9.53% 12 +1
Likud 3 281,996 8.989% 12 -15
Israel Beytenu 4 281,880 8.985% 11 +8
National Union - National Religious Party 5 224,083 7.14% 9 -1
Gil 185,759 5.92% 7 new
United Torah Judaism 147,091 4.69% 6 +1
Meretz-Yachad 118,302 3.77% 5 -1
Ra'am-Ta'al 94,786 3.02% 4 +2
Hadash 86,092 2.74% 3 0
Balad 72,066 2.30% 3 0
Green Party 47,595 1.52% 0 0
Ale Yarok 40,353 1.29% 0 0
Jewish National Front 24,824 0.79% 0 0
Tafnit 18,753 0.60% 0 0
Hetz 6 10,113 0.33% 0 new
Shinui 7 4,675 0.16% 0 -15
Other parties 36,375 1.16% 0 0
Total 3,137,064 100% 120  

Eligible voters: 5,014,622
Total votes cast: 3,186,739 (Turnout 63.6%)
Spoiled ballots: 49,675 (1.56% of votes cast)
Valid ballots: 3,137,064
Threshold (2%): 62,741
Votes per seat: 24,620

1 14 Knesset members joined Kadima in November 2005, 13 of them from Likud.
2 One Nation (3 Knesset members) merged with Labour (19 Knesset members) in 2004.
3 Israel Ba-Aliya (2 Knesset members) merged with Likud (38 Knesset members) in 2003, 13 MKs split and joined Kadima in 2005.
4 Israel Beytenu (3 Knesset members) split from the National Union (7 Knesset members) in 2003.
5 National Religious Party (6 Knesset members) joined the National Union (4 Knesset members after the split 4) prior to the election.
6 9 Knesset members split from Shinui and joined Hetz prior to the elections.
7 Only 2 Knesset members were left from the original faction after the split6 prior to the elections.

[edit] Knesset location and building

The current Knesset building is located on a hilltop in the west of Jerusalem; it was paid for by James A. de Rothschild as a gift to the State of Israel. Before the 1948 Arab-Israeli War there was an Arab settlement called Sheikh Badr on the site. The Knesset has had several locations:

  1. February 14, 1949: First meeting of the Constituent Assembly, Jewish Agency building, Jerusalem.
  2. March 8, 1949-December 14, 1949: Sittings held in the Kessem Cinema in Tel Aviv. (Migdal HaOpera situated there today).
  3. December 26, 1949-March 8, 1950: Reconvenes in the Jewish Agency building, Jerusalem.
  4. March 13, 1950: Temporary location at "Froumine Building", King George Street, Jerusalem.
  5. 1957: James A. de Rothschild advises Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion that he will donate the funds for the permanent Knesset building.
  6. October 14, 1958: Laying of the cornerstone for new Knesset building.
  7. August 31, 1966: Dedication of the new building during the sixth Knesset.
  8. 1981: New wing built, opened in 1992.
  9. 2005: Additional wing presently being built.

The Knesset building is built on land leased from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.[citation needed]

[edit] The Knesset Assemblies

The modern Knesset building, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem
The modern Knesset building, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem

Each Knesset session is generally known by its election number. Thus the Knesset elected by Israel's first election in 1949 is known as the First Knesset. The current Knesset, elected in 2006 is the Seventeenth Knesset.

[edit] Composition of the Seventeenth Knesset (elected 2006)

*The National Union and National Religious parties submitted a single list for this election, and may be considered as one party.

**In similar fashion, Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah submitted a single list under the banner of United Torah Judaism.

Kadima, Labor, Shas, Gil and Yisrael Beiteinu, in bold, together form the governing coalition with 78 of the 120 seats. This government took office on October 30, 2006.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Israeli parliamentary elections Flag of Israel
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1949 | 1951 | 1955 | 1959 | 1961 | 1965 | 1969 | 1973 | 1977 | 1981 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 1999 | 2003 | 2006
Israeli prime ministerial elections Flag of Israel
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Coordinates: 31°46′36″N, 35°12′19″E

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