Referendum bill advances to House Committee
A bill to require a referendum before any transfer of land in Jerusalem or the Golan Heights was referred to the Ministerial Committee on Legislation on Monday in preparation for its second and third readings. The bill was approved by the Knesset in first reading during the Knesset's last session. The Knesset's new session opened on Monday and will last until April. A bill requiring a national referendum before relinquishing land in Jerusalem and the Golan Heights is expected to pass easily in a special meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Legislation on Monday, laying the groundwork for it to become law within weeks.The bill passed the Ministerial Committee on Monday. Israel Radio reports that Defense Minister Ehud Barak slammed the bill, saying it would be an 'obstacle to peace.' Israel Radio characterized the bill as an obstacle to keeping the Labor party in the government (and, I would add, Ehud Barak as Defense Minister).
The bill, submitted by Knesset House Committee chairman Yariv Levin (Likud), had already passed its first reading in the Knesset and Levin’s committee without the support of the Prime Minister’s Office.
Once it passes the ministerial committee, it will have the government’s support and would then be able to easily pass its final readings.
The legislation would require a national referendum in any instance in which Israel agreed in diplomatic talks to hand over areas that have been annexed (i.e., Jerusalem beyond the Green Line) or to which Israeli law has been extended (i.e., the Golan Heights).
According to the bill, any such deal must be approved by the Knesset and then put to a national referendum within 180 days. The bill tasks the Central Elections Committee with running any referendum, and would declare any referendum day to be equivalent to an election day.
The format of the referendum question will be phrased, simply: “Are you in favor of or opposed to the agreement approved by the Knesset?” Another bill will be submitted this week by MK Ophir Akunis (Likud) that would require a referendum on any deal with the Palestinian Authority; Akunis will ask the House Committee to expedite the legislation.
A referendum on such an existential issue is necessary because the Knesset is not directly accountable to voters. Israel Radio reports that there is an exemption from the referendum requirement if any deal passes the Knesset with at least 80 votes. The odds of the Knesset getting 80 votes for anything are not good, although the Egyptian peace treaty did pass with more than 80 votes thirty years ago.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:51 AM
1 Comments:
Its interesting the Labor Party thinks direct democracy is a threat to peace. Even the late Soviet Union held a national referendum. The only country that has never held one on any issue of national importance is Israel. Why is Labor afraid of Israeli voters? You can ask Ehud Barak why he doesn't trust them with such an important decision.
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