Knesset to vote Wednesday night on the automatic suspension of convicted MKs
Law would apply to MKs convicted of crime of moral turpitude, which may include MKs Tzachi Hanegbi, Shlomo Benizri and Haim Ramon.
By Gideon AlonThe Knesset Constitution Committee has completed preparing an amendment of the Basic Law on the Knesset, which calls for the automatic suspension of MKs that have been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude or have been sentenced to an active prison term.
The proposed amendment will be voted on Wednesday night. If the law is passed on its second and third reading, it will apply to Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Tzachi Hanegbi (Kadima), MK Shlomo Benizri (Shas) and MK Haim Ramon (Kadima) - if they are convicted of a crime of moral turpitude.
While Ramon has been convicted of indecent behavior, a decision on whether the conviction carries an element of moral turpitude will only be made when he is sentenced.
If a MK is suspended, he will be replaced by the next member on his party's list.
According to the proposal, if a MK wins his appeal and the moral turpitude clause is erased from his conviction, he will be able to return to the Knesset. If the MK loses his appeal however, he will be permanently removed from office.
The proposal also states that if a MK is sentenced to an active prison term, he will be automatically suspended until he is released from prison. Until now, these suspensions required the approval of Knesset Committee.
MK Gilad Erdan (Likud) and MK Shelly Yachimovich (Labor), who proposed the bill, said the amendment is proportional and imperative since it would absolve the Knesset House Committee of responsibility for deciding on the suspensions of convicted MKs.
Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee Chairman MK Menachem Ben-Sasson (Kadima), expressed confidence that should Ramon be convicted of a crime of moral turpitude, he will resign from the Knesset. According to Ben-Sasson, the purpose of the proposal is to determine a consistent and clear line of action regarding convicted MKs.
MK Ahmed Tibi (Ra'am-Ta'al), Azmi Bishara (Balad) and Dov Hanin (Hadash) requested that the proposal not include the illegal visits taken by Arab MKs to Arab Countries, however this request was rejected by a large majority.
MK Itzhak Levy (National Religious Party) went even further and proposed that MKs be suspended the moment they are indicted and that the Knesset Committee will only be able to cancel this suspension prior to the beginning of the trial.
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
"If an MK is suspended, he will be replaced by the next member on his party`s list." This is why direct elections of each MK is necessary. If that "one" is suspended, a special new election for that "one" is necessary.
Why don't you send whatever contributions you wish to honest charitable organizations in Israel? In Chicago, where I live, we have a fair number of corrupt politicians, some of whom are in jail. But I still contribute to local charitable organizations. Or do you expect Israeli politicians to be completely pure, but you're willing to tolerate a little domestic corruption? After all, your impression of the degree of corruption of Israeli politicians comes from Israeli government efforts to punish offenders.
Replacement is necessary in the eyes of the lawmakers. It will save them from further embarrassment of having a half empty Knesset.
It is becomming more difficult every day to continue to feel good about what somne people may have the audacity to consider the example that Israel is showing the world pertaining to how Jews live their lives- with all the corruption in the government. it is more difficult to continue to send contributions to various Israeli causes when the government itself is showing incompetence and corruption. Please help me to understand how people can act so indifferently and so inappropriate and yet continue to expect financial and moral backing from other people? thankx Bob
Kadima is the one with all the corrupt MK's and ministers at the moment. And yes, Shas has many MKs who have been convicted in the past as well. But don't taint everyone else because of it. Or are you one of those who voted for Kakadima and are now trying to distribute your blame to all of us?
Excellent and original idea.
"If an MK is suspended, he will be replaced by the next member on his party`s list." Why not put the onus on the parties to have decent, civilized representatives? If an MK has been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude or has been sentenced to an active prison term, the MK should be suspended, but their place should remain vacant. Since the MKs do not represent anyone but their own party's interests, it is no great loss to the electorate, and a savings to the taxpayer. This way, the parties will be sure to select people who are at least middling honest rather than those who spend their time catering to the desires of the central committees.
"If an MK is suspended, he will be replaced by the next member on his party's list." It used to be that being number 100 on a party list for the Kinneset was absolutely meaningless. No longer true! If this becomes law, being number 100 on the lists of Kadima, Shas, Labor, and Likud to name but a few, will actually become a realistic prospect.