Knesset כנסת
Type	Unicameral
Speaker of the Knesset	Dalia Itzik, Kadima since May 4, 2006
Deputy Speaker	Majalli Wahabi, Kadima since May 4, 2006
Members	120
Political groups	Kadima Labour-Meimad Shas Likud
Last elections	March 28, 2006
Meeting place	Knesset, Jerusalem, Israel
Web site	www.knesset.gov.il

The modern Knesset building, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem, used since 1967

For Beit Knesset, a Jewish place of worship, see Synagogue. The Basic Laws of Israel are a key component of Israels uncodified constitution. The State of Israel has no formal constitution. ... The Jerusalem Law is a common name of Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel passed by the Israeli Knesset on July 30, 1980 (17th Av, 5740). ... The Law of Return (Hebrew: חוק השבות, hok ha-shvut) is Israeli legislation that allows Jews and those with Jewish parents or grandparents, and spouses of the aforementioned, to settle in Israel and gain citizenship. ... The President of the State of Israel (‎, Nesi HaMedina, lit. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... The Prime Minister of Israel (Hebrew: ראש הממשלה, Rosh HaMemshala, lit. ... Ehud Olmert (IPA ; Hebrew:אהוד אולמרט; born September 30, 1945) is the 12th and current Prime Minister of Israel. ... The Cabinet of Israel is a formal body comprised of government officials chosen and led by a Prime Minister. ... Israel The power of the Knesset to supervise and review government policies and operations is exercised mainly through the state controller, also known as the ombudsman or ombudswoman (Hebrew: מבקר המדינה Mevaker HaMedina. ... List of Speakers of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament: Joseph Shprinzak (Mapai) 1949-59 Nahum Nir (Ahdut Haavodah) 1959 Kadish Luz (Mapai, Alignment)1959-69 Reuven Barkat (Alignment) 1969-72 Yisrael Yeshayahu-Sharabi (Alignment) 1972-77 Yitzhak Shamir (Likud) 1977-80 Yitzhak Berman (Likud) 1980-81 Menachem... Dalia Itzik (Hebrew: ‎; born October 20, 1952) is the current speaker of the Israeli Knesset and Acting President of Israel. ... // (Blue = coalition parties, red = opposition parties) 1This title, called in Hebrew ממלא מקום ראש הממשלה (Memale Mekom Rosh HaMemshala, lit. ... Elections in Israel gives information on election and election results in Israel. ... Elections for the 16th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 January 2003. ... The Elections for the 17th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 March 2006. ... Political parties in Israel: Israels political system is based on proportional representation which allows for a multi-party system with numerous parties, in which a single party usually has no chance of gaining power by itself, forcing the parties to cooperate and form coalition governments. ... Knesset Elections Law is crucial legal document governing the process of elections in the Israeli federal parliament or the Knesset. ... The Israeli Central Elections Committee is the body charged under the Knesset Elections Law of 1969 to carry out the elections for the upcoming Knesset. ... It has been suggested that Law of Israel be merged into this article or section. ... The Supreme Court (Hebrew: בית המשפט העליון, Beit Hamishpat Haelyon ) is at the head of the court system in the State of Israel. ... The Attorney General of Israel (Hebrew: , HaYoetz HaMishpati LaMemshala, lit. ... Menachem Mazuz (Hebrew: מנחם מזוז) (born 1955) is an Israeli jurist, who currently serves as Israels Attorney General. ... Map of the districts of Israel Population density by geographic region, sub-district and district (thicker border indicates higher tier). ... The Israeli Ministry of Interior recognizes three types of local government in Israel: cities, regional councils, and local councils. ... The system of Local government in Israel, also known as local authority (‎), is the set of bodies charged with providing services such as urban planning, zoning, and the provision of drinking water and emergency services, as well as education and culture, as per guidelines of the Interior Ministry. ... A City council (‎) is the official designation of a city within Israels system of local government. ... In Israel, a local council is a locality similar to a city in structure and way of life, that has not yet achieved a status of a city, which requires a minimum number of residents, among other things. ... The State of Israel joined the United Nations on May 11, 1949. ... Issues relating to the state of Israel, the Palestinian people, the proposed State of Palestine and the region of the Levant (called the Middle East at the UN) occupy a large amount of debate, resolutions and resources at the United Nations. ... The accession of Israel to the European Union refers to a possible future development in the EU-Israel relations. ... // Current ambassadors from Israel to international organizations Current consuls general from Israel: Other senior diplomatic representatives from Israel Well-known past ambassadors from Israel ^ The ambassador to Angola also serves as Israels non-resident Ambassador to Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe. ... Israel, with the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is often claimed to be at the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict, is an ongoing dispute between two peoples, Jewish Israelis and Arab Palestinians, who both claim the right to sovereignty over the Land... Combatants Arab nations Israel Arab-Israeli conflict series History of the Arab-Israeli conflict Views of the Arab-Israeli conflict International law and the Arab-Israeli conflict Arab-Israeli conflict facts, figures, and statistics Participants Israeli-Palestinian conflict · Israel-Lebanon conflict · Arab League · Soviet Union / Russia · Israel, Palestine and the... Arguments about the applicability of various elements of international law underlie the debate around the Arab-Israeli conflict. ... From the time it was established in March 1945, the Arab League took an active role in the Arab-Israeli conflict. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1252x556, 706 KB) Other versions Image:Knesset building. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1252x556, 706 KB) Other versions Image:Knesset building. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... A place of worship is a building or other locations where religious persons may worship their deity, regularly or not. ... A synagogue (from ancient Greek: , transliterated synagogÄ“, assembly; ‎ beit knesset, house of assembly; Yiddish: or Template:Lanh-he beit tefila, house of prayer, shul; Ladino: , esnoga) is a Jewish house of worship. ...

The Knesset (Hebrew: כנסת‎, Assembly) is the legislature of Israel. It is located in Jerusalem, the capital and seat of government of the State of Israel. “Hebrew” redirects here. ... A legislature is a type of representative deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ...

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. Israels governmental system is based on several basic laws enacted by its unicameral parliament, the Knesset. ... For other uses, see Law (disambiguation). ... The President of the State of Israel (‎, Nesi HaMedina, lit. ... Israel The power of the Knesset to supervise and review government policies and operations is exercised mainly through the state comptroller, also known as the ombudsman or ombudswoman. ...

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 at least 18 years old to vote. The Government of Israel must be approved by a majority vote of the Knesset. is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Israels governmental system is based on several basic laws enacted by its unicameral parliament, 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.^[1] Look up De jure in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Parliamentary sovereignty or Parliamentary supremacy is the concept in British constitutional law that a parliament has sovereignty. ... The Basic Laws of Israel are a key component of Israels uncodified constitution. The State of Israel has no formal constitution. ... A constituent assembly is a body elected with the purpose of drafting, and in some cases, adopting a constitution. ... The DHondt method (equivalent to Jeffersons method, and Budder-Ofer method) is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... The Supreme Court (Hebrew: בית המשפט העליון, Beit Hamishpat Haelyon ) is at the head of the court system in the State of Israel. ... Judicial review is the power of a court to review the actions of public sector bodies in terms of their constitutionality. ...

The Knesset is guarded by the Knesset Guard. Honor guard at the Knesset The Knesset Guard is an organization responsible for the protection of Knesset members immunity and the Knesset building. ...

Knesset location and building

The Knesset is located in Givat Ram, on a hilltop in western Jerusalem, which before the 1948 Arab-Israeli War was an Arab settlement called Sheikh Badr. The building was financed by James A. de Rothschild as a gift to the State of Israel. For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... Combatants  Israel Haganah Irgun Lehi Palmach Foreign Volunteers Egypt, Syria, Transjordan,  Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Holy War Army, Arab Liberation Army Commanders Yaakov Dori, Yigael Yadin John Bagot Glubb, Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni, Hasan Salama, Fawzi Al-Qawuqji, Ahmed Ali al-Mwawi Strength  Israel: 29,677 initially rising... Shaykh Badr was an Arab settlement on a mountaintop west of Jerusalem in Palestine. ... James Armand Edmond de Rothschild, DCM, DL, (1878–1957[1][2]) was a French-born British politician and philanthropist, from the wealthy Rothschild international banking dynasty. ...

Before the construction of its permanent home, the Knesset met in 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.

History of the Knesset building is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Jewish Agency for Israel also known as The Jewish Agency (or sochnut in Hebrew), was previously called the Jewish Agency for Palestine (during the British Mandate of Palestine) is an Israeli organisation that advocates for Israel and is composed mainly, but not entirely, of Jewish people. ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Tel-Aviv was founded on empty dunes north of the existing city of Jaffa. ... is the 360th day of the year (361st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

1. 1957: James A. de Rothschild informs Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion of his decision to bequeath funding for a permanent Knesset building.
2. October 14, 1958: Laying of the cornerstone for new Knesset building.
3. August 31, 1966: Dedication of the new building during the sixth Knesset.
4. 1981: Construction of new wing, opened in 1992.
5. 2005: Additional wing under construction.

The Knesset building is built on land leased from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.^[2] Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... James Armand Edmond de Rothschild, DL (1878–1957[1][2]) was a French-born British politician and philanthropist, from the wealthy Rothschild international banking dynasty. ...   (October 16, 1886 – December 1, 1973; Hebrew: ) was the first Prime Minister of Israel. ... is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the Patriarch of Jerusalem according to the Greek Orthodox tradition. ...

The Knesset Assemblies

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.

• First Knesset
• Second Knesset
• Third Knesset
• Fourth Knesset
• Fifth Knesset
• Sixth Knesset
• Seventh Knesset
• Eighth Knesset
• Ninth Knesset
• Tenth Knesset
• Eleventh Knesset
• Twelfth Knesset
• Thirteenth Knesset
• Fourteenth Knesset
• Fifteenth Knesset
• Sixteenth Knesset
• Seventeenth Knesset

The Elections for the Constituent Assembly were held in newly-independent Israel on 25 January, 1949. ... The Elections for the second Knesset were held on 30 July, 1951. ... The Elections for the third Knesset were held on 26 July, 1955. ... The Elections for the fourth Knesset were held on 3 November, 1959. ... The Elections for the fifth Knesset were held on 15 August, 1961. ... The Elections for the sixth Knesset were held on 1 November, 1965. ... The Elections for the seventh Knesset were held on 28 October, 1969. ... The Elections for the eighth Knesset were held on 31 December 1973. ... The Elections for the ninth Knesset were held on 17 May, 1977. ... Elections for the tenth Knesset were held in Israel on 30 June, 1981. ... Elections for the eleventh Knesset were held in Israel on 23 July, 1984. ... Elections for the twelfth Knesset were held in Israel on 1 November, 1988. ... Elections for the thirteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 23 June 1992. ... Elections for the fourteenth Knesset were held in Israel alongside the first ever election for Prime Minister on 29 May 1996. ... The Elections for the 15th Knesset were held on 17 May, 1999 alongside elections for Prime Minister. ... Elections for the 16th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 January 2003. ... The Elections for the 17th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 March 2006. ...

Composition of the 17th Knesset

The composition of the seventeenth Knesset was determined by the 2006 election. At present there are 18 parties represented in the Knesset on 12 lists (some parties run for election together on joint lists). Though it has not yet happened in the current session, in every Knesset to date parties have split up during the Knesset's term, leading to the creation of new parties or resulting in MKs sitting as independents. The Elections for the 17th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 March 2006. ...

The parties in the current Knesset are shown in the table below. Those in bold are part of the governing coalition.

* The National Union is an alliance of Moledet, Tkuma and the Renewed Religious National Zionist Party. Kadima (Hebrew: קדימה, Forward) is a political party in Israel. ... The Israeli Labor Party (‎, Mifleget HaAvoda HaYisraelit), generally known in Israel as Avoda (‎) is a center-left political party in Israel. ... Meimad is a left-leaning religious political party in Israel, founded in 1988. ... Likud (Hebrew: ליכוד, literally means consolidation) is a centre-right political party in Israel. ... Shas (Hebrew: ) is an political party in Israel, primarily representing Ultra-orthodox Sephardi and Mizrahi Judaism. ... Yisrael Beytenu ( Hebrew: Israel Our Home) is a right-wing political party in Israel with support from Jewish Russian immigrants to Israel who came from the lands of the former Soviet Union. ... National Union (Hebrew: Haihud HaLeumi האיחוד הלאומי) is an Israeli right-wing party list (סיעה) formed from the merger of three parties: Moledet (homeland), Tkuma (revival) and Renewed National Religious Zionist party. The three parties still operate somewhat independently, but run as one party list in Israeli elections. ... Mafdal party logo The National Religious Party (Hebrew: Mafdal, מפדל) is an Israeli political party representing the religious Zionist movement. ... Gil (Hebrew: גיל) is a political party in Israel and part of the governing coalition in the seventeenth Knesset. ... United Torah Judaism (In Hebrew: יהדות התורה which translates as Judaism [of the] Torah) (UTJ) is a small Haredi political party in the Israeli Knesset. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Meretz. ... United Arab List (RAAM, Hebrew. ... Taal, or the Arab Movement for Renewal, is a single-member Israeli parliamentary group that was founded by MK Ahmad Tibi after he left Balad during the 14th Knesset. ... Hadash (חדש) is a far left wing, largely Arab [1], popular front group in Israel made up of the Communist Party of Israel and other left-leaning political groups. ... Balad (‎ Brit Leumit Demokratit, meaning National Democratic Assembly (at times misnamed National Democratic Alliance)[1], referred to by the acronym בלד; in Arabic, بلد: home town, التجمع الوطني الديمقرآطي, pronounced al-tajamu al-watani al-dÄ«mÅ«qrati) is a political party in Israel. ... Moledet (Hebrew מולדת, literally homeland) is a small right-wing political party in Israel. ... Tkuma was a temporary Israeli right wing party during 1998. ... The Renewed Religious National Zionist party (Hebrew: מפלגת ציונות דתית לאומית מתחדשת) is a right-national, Religious Zionist political party in Israel which has split from the National Religious Party (Mafdal) in the 16th Knesset, and ended up merging into the National Union (which ran on a joint list with Mafdal) in the 2006 legislative...

** United Torah Judaism is an alliance of Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah. Categories: Organization stubs | Israel-related stubs | Israeli political parties | Orthodox Judaism ... Degel HaTorah (or Degel haTorah) (דגל התורה Hebrew for Flag/Banner [of] the Torah) is an Israeli mostly Ashkenazi Haredi Judaism political party with a small number of seats (2-3) in the Knesset, Israels national parliament. ...

See also

• List of Knesset members
• List of Knesset speakers
• List of Likud Knesset Members
• Arab Knesset members

// (Blue = coalition parties, red = opposition parties) 1This title, called in Hebrew ממלא מקום ראש הממשלה (Memale Mekom Rosh HaMemshala, lit. ... List of Speakers of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament: Joseph Shprinzak (Mapai) 1949-59 Nahum Nir (Ahdut Haavodah) 1959 Kadish Luz (Mapai, Alignment)1959-69 Reuven Barkat (Alignment) 1969-72 Yisrael Yeshayahu-Sharabi (Alignment) 1972-77 Yitzhak Shamir (Likud) 1977-80 Yitzhak Berman (Likud) 1980-81 Menachem... List of Likud Knesset Members and the Knessets (the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem) in which they served: 8th Knesset Likud Members (31/12/1973 to 17/5/1977): Zalman Abramov; Moshe Arens; Yoram Aridor; Yohanan Bader; Yedidia Be`eri; Menahem Begin; Meir Cohen-Avidov; Geula Cohen; Yigal Cohen; Haim Corfo... There have been Arab members of the Knesset since the first Knesset Assembly, elected in 1949. ...

References

1. ^ Models of Judicial Review Constitution for Israel
2. ^ Palestinians want Greek patriarch expelled Ecumenical News, 23 March 2005

External links

• Official website
• Official website (English)
• Parliamentary Groups in the Knesset
• Arab Influence Promoted in Israeli legislature by Ynetnews

v • d • e Israeli parliamentary elections
1949 | 1951 | 1955 | 1959 | 1961 | 1965 | 1969 | 1973 | 1977 | 1981 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 1999 | 2003 | 2006
Israeli prime ministerial elections
1996 | 1999 | 2001

Coordinates: 31°46′36″N, 35°12′19″E Ynetnews is an English language Israel news and content website operated by Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s most-read newspaper, and the Hebrew Israel news portal, Ynet. ... Elections in Israel gives information on election and election results in Israel. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Israel. ... The Elections for the Constituent Assembly were held in newly-independent Israel on 25 January, 1949. ... The Elections for the second Knesset were held on 30 July, 1951. ... The Elections for the third Knesset were held on 26 July, 1955. ... The Elections for the fourth Knesset were held on 3 November, 1959. ... The Elections for the fifth Knesset were held on 15 August, 1961. ... The Elections for the sixth Knesset were held on 1 November, 1965. ... The Elections for the seventh Knesset were held on 28 October, 1969. ... The Elections for the eighth Knesset were held on 31 December 1973. ... The Elections for the ninth Knesset were held on 17 May, 1977. ... Elections for the tenth Knesset were held in Israel on 30 June, 1981. ... Elections for the eleventh Knesset were held in Israel on 23 July, 1984. ... Elections for the twelfth Knesset were held in Israel on 1 November, 1988. ... Elections for the thirteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 23 June 1992. ... Elections for the fourteenth Knesset were held in Israel alongside the first ever election for Prime Minister on 29 May 1996. ... The Elections for the 15th Knesset were held on 17 May, 1999 alongside elections for Prime Minister. ... Elections for the 16th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 January 2003. ... The Elections for the 17th Knesset were held in Israel on 28 March 2006. ... Elections in Israel gives information on election and election results in Israel. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Israel. ... The first ever election for Prime Minister was held in Israel on 29 May 1996 alongside simultaneous Knesset elections. ... The second Prime Ministerial election in Israel was held on 17 May, 1999 alongside elections for the 15th Knesset. ... Prime Ministerial elections were held in Israel on 6 February 2001, following the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Barak of the Israeli Labour Party. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...