The "Peres law," which would allow Knesset members to elect a president by open ballot, was approved Saturday afternoon by the Ministerial Committee for Legislative Affairs by a margin of seven to five.

The amendment, which requires a majority of 61 MKs in order to pass, will not be brought to a vote in the Knesset plenum this week. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been laying the ground to ensure its passage.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni voted in favor of the motion, as did Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, Interior Minister Roni Bar-On, Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson, Minister for Jerusalem Affairs Yaakov Edrey, Environment Minister Gideon Ezra (Kadima) and Health Minister Yaakov Ben Yizri (Pensioners).

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Voting against were Housing Minister Meir Sheetrit (Kadima), minister without portfolio Eitan Cabel, Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon (Labor), Minister for Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) and minister without portfolio Meshulam Nahari (Shas).

A number of powerful factions continue oppose the move, and it still lacks a majority in the house.

The Kadima faction is expected to debate the amendment Monday, as is Labor.

Olmert is expected to throw his full weight behind the effort to get the amendment passed, in conjunction with other changes, including giving additional portfolios to Yisrael Beiteinu and appointing a welfare minister.

Sources close to Olmert and Peres say the atmosphere following the Katsav affair is conducive to the change in the law, since Peres is very popular in the polls and the public seeks a transparent presidential election process.

However those opposed to the law say its purpose is to promote one individual rather than a principle.

Meanwhile, Labor's candidate for president, MK Colette Avital, quashed rumors Saturday that she intended to leave the race. Shas chair, minister Eli Yishai said an open vote for the president would open the floodgates to annul secret ballots on other issues, "and just as no one would consider open ballots for Knesset elections, the president should not be chosen by open ballot."

MK Ophir Pines-Paz (Labor) said, "A Basic Law should not be changed for one person." MK Yossi Beilin (Meretz) who supports Peres for president, also opposes a change in the law, which he called a "farce of an open ballot for the presidency." Beilin said an open ballot would make the presidency part of the "coalition booty" that would do further harm to that office.

Katsav's next moves
Lawyers for President Moshe Katsav, David Libai and Tzion Amir are to receive all the investigative material on the case Sunday, including the draft of the indictment. Sources close to Katsav said over the weekend they suspected the state attorney's office exerted undue influence on the "second A." whose complaint led to the rape charge against the president. The sources said all the material would be examined to see whether A. was given information from the testimonies of others questioned, an allegation the Justice Ministry has rejected.

Katsav Saturday attended services at a synagogue close to his home. He has reportedly not decided whether to spend the three-month period of his incapacitation at the President's Residence or his Kiryat Malachi home.

The Residence staff has been told to direct all business involving pardons to Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik. Staff said they were swamped with phone calls and faxes in support of Katsav, particularly by women.