Ma: a 19. Knesszet téli ülésszak kezdődik
Today: the Knesset’s winter session begins
After a lengthy recess the 120 members of Knesset are retuning for the winter parliamentary session that will begin with festivities. After the official speeches, the MK’s will return to the assembly and to their committees. On the agenda: equal burden and governance law
Knesset general assembly, archive Photography: Knesset Facebook
After a lengthy summer recess the 120 members of Knesset are expected to return to the assembly hall for the start of the winter parliamentary session. On the agenda: passing the governance law, the equal burden issue and the referendum law.
The winter session will start today with a festive meeting that will be attended by many who have been invited to the House of Representatives in Jerusalem. At 16:00 Knesset chairman Yuli Edelstein will begin the session and after that President Peres will speak. Immediately after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to give a statement on the government’s activity since the end of the last session and on the government’s plans for the near future .At the end of the Prime Minister’s speech, opposition leader Shelly Yachimovich is also expected to speak.
An update on diplomatic affairs. Netanyahu, archive Photography: Amos Ben Gershom GPO
The special events marking the beginning of the 19thKnesset’s second secession since being sworn in are expected to continue tomorrow as well. A special Knesset meeting commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war is expected with the presence of the President.
On the agenda: equal burden law and no confidence motions
At the end of the festivities that will take place over the next few days, the members of Knesset are expected to decide on a number of main issues that have remained since the last session. One of these is the equal burden issue which will be brought before the assembly for approval in the coming months.
Another issue that will be decided upon is the governance law. During the next 5 months, the factions will tackle the question of raising the votes threshold. Last summer the Knesset approved the law in its first reading and determined that the votes threshold will be raised to 4%.
“I see the referendum law passing, as well as the governance law and the enlistment issue” said coalition leader MK Yraiv Levin, who made it clear that he was actually calm concerning the issues on the agenda.
Another issue that will become a “hot topic” in the Knesset is the negotiations with the Palestinians. Reports from the negotiations between the two teams will be presented before the members of Knesset who will be asked to decide on their nature.
