Knesset - Israeli News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper

SUBSCRIBE TO HAARETZ DIGITAL EDITIONS

Sunday, May 27, 2012 Sivan 6, 5772

Hello user Logout | profile

You have watched of 10 articles

ISRAEL NEWS

BREAKING NEWS

02:26
Rebel groups merge in northern Mali, agree to set up independent Islamic state (AP)
00:32
Poll: Two-thirds of French approve of Pres. Hollande's actions during first days in power (Reuters)
21:59
PKK says it carried out Turkey suicide car bomb (Reuters)
21:40
Yemeni troops kill 62 militants in southern regions (DPA)
20:54
Jimmy Carter: Egypt under Muslim Brotherhood would keep peace with Israel (Reuters)
18:07
Palestinian shot in clash in West Bank (Haaretz)
17:43
Egypt presidential candidate to seek election suspension, says lawyer (Reuters)
15:45
Roadside bomb kills 3 Iraqi soldiers, say security officials (AP)
15:09
Tunisian Salafi Islamists riot, clash with police (Reuters)
14:21
Egypt's Shafiq vows 'no turning back' to Mubarak era (DPA)
13:30
Yemen's army kills at least 62 Islamist fighters (Reuters)
12:57
Iran: Enriched uranium traces a 'technical issue' (AP)
12:29
UN observers heading to Syrian town of Houla (AP)
11:57
U.S. study: Iran has enough uranium for five nuclear bombs (Reuters)
11:37
Algerian forces kill three Islamic militants east of capital (AP)

More Breaking News

Home

Knesset

The Knesset (Hebrew for assembly) is the Israeli parliament, or legislative body, and is located in western Jerusalem. The unicameral parliament consists of 120 lawmakers, known as Knesset members or MKs, each chosen to represent their respective political parties for terms lasting no longer than four years between elections.

Among its functions, the Knesset enacts laws, supervises the work of the government, and reserves the power to remove the president and the state comptroller from office. It can also vote to dissolve itself and call new elections.

The first Israeli parliament convened on February 14, 1949, although it was not yet known as the Knesset. On February 16, the Constituent Assembly, as it was then called, ratified the Transition Law, thereby changing its name to the First Knesset, and elected Chaim Weizmann as the first president of the State of Israel.

The Knesset has been addressed by countless heads of state throughout the years. Undoubtedly one of the most memorable of these occasions came on November 20, 1977, when then Egyptian president Anwar Sadat took the plenum and addressed Israeli lawmakers, calling for peace between Israel and Egypt.

Latest Stories on Knesset

Lieberman at a news conference at the European Union Council - Feb 22, 2011

Lieberman's boorish behavior harms Israel's international standing

Claiming that human-rights NGOs are essentially anti-Israel is about as convincing as saying that because there are many successful Jews, there is a Jewish conspiracy to rule the world.

by Carlo Strenger 10 comments

Interior Minister: We will fine mayors who employ African migrants

Eli Yishai tells Israel's Channel 2 news: Fines will make ciy mayors hire Israelis; more than 1,100 people signed a letter petitioning Attorney General for legal action against MKs in anti-migrant rally.

by Ophir Bar-Zohar and Jonathan Lis 3 comments

Migrant protest - Moti Milrod - May 24, 2012

How a Tel Aviv anti-migrant protest spiraled out of control

Haaretz writer Ilan Lior describes how he narrowly escaped an encounter with a violent mob during a protest against African migrants in south Tel Aviv's Hatikva neighborhood.

by Ilan Lior 17 comments

MK Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz), chairman of the Knesset Committee on Foreign Workers, April 30, 2012.

Israeli MKs engage in stormy debate over African asylum seekers

Israel Police commander tells Knesset committee that increase in violent and sex crimes can be curbed by letting asylum seekers work.

by Jonathan Lis 4 comments

View All Latest Opinion on Knesset

Lieberman's boorish behavior harms Israel's international standing

Claiming that human-rights NGOs are essentially anti-Israel is about as convincing as saying that because there are many successful Jews, there is a Jewish conspiracy to rule the world.

by Carlo Strenger 10 comments

Interior Minister: We will fine mayors who employ African migrants

by Ophir Bar-Zohar and Jonathan Lis 3 comments

How a Tel Aviv anti-migrant protest spiraled out of control

Haaretz writer Ilan Lior describes how he narrowly escaped an encounter with a violent mob during a protest against African migrants in south Tel Aviv's Hatikva neighborhood.

by Ilan Lior 17 comments

Israeli MKs engage in stormy debate over African asylum seekers

Israel Police commander tells Knesset committee that increase in violent and sex crimes can be curbed by letting asylum seekers work.

by Jonathan Lis 4 comments

View All Pictures of Knesset

knesset - Michal Patel - November 22 2010

knesset - Michal Patel - November 23 2010

Netanyahu Rabin memorial Knesset 20.10.10 AP

Yishai Lieberman Knesset Jan2010 Emil Salman

View All

Haaretz headlines

International community condemns Syria over latest massacre

By Reuters, DPA, The Associated Press | 01:21 AM

Netanyahu and Obama during a meeting at the White House.

No gaps exist between the U.S. and Israel on Iran nuclear program, says official

By Barak Ravid | 07:04 PM | 4

Palestinian settlers clash - AP - May 19, 2012

Israeli settler shoots Palestinian in West Bank

By Reuters | 06:17 PM | 6

A Taglit group on tour in the Negev Desert.

Young Israelis get Jewish identity boost from Birthright too

By Dina Kraft | 06:31 PM

Design by Roni Arie | Accelerated by cotendo

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.