{ Adopted: 14 April 1992 / Status: 14 April 1992 }
Section 1 Nature
Section 2 Seat of power
Section 3 Source of authority and composition
Section 4 Election date
Section 5 Special elections
Section 6 The right to vote
Section 7 Period of service
Section 8 Eligibility of Prime Ministerial candidates
Section 9 The right to propose a candidate
Section 10 Election date for special elections
Section 11 Postponement of elections due to day of rest
Section 12 Death of candidate or cessation of candidacy
Section 14 Beginning of service
Section 15 Failure to present Government
Section 16 Eligibility of Ministers
Section 17 Publication of agreements
Section 18 Restrictions of the agreement
Section 19 Expression of no confidence
Section 20 Dispersion due to failure to adopt budget
Section 21 Early elections
Section 22 Dispersion of the Knesset by the Prime Minister
Section 23 Resignation of Prime Minister
Section 24 Prime Minister ceasing to function as member of Knesset
Section 25 Interrogation and impeachment of the Prime Minister
Section 26 Removal from office pursuant to an offence
Section 27 Removal from office not pursuant to an offence
Section 28 Death of the Prime Minister
Section 29 Acting Prime Minister
Section 30 Inability to function
Section 31 Continued functioning of the Prime Minister and Ministers
Section 32 Continuity of Government
Section 33 The Ministers
Section 34 The required minimum of Ministers
Section 35 Termination of service of a Minister
Section 36 Acting Minister
Section 37 Deputy Ministers
Section 38 Termination of service of Knesset member
Section 39 Prime Minister and functioning of Government
Section 40 Government powers
Section 41 Delegation of powers
Section 42 Assumption of powers
Section 43 Exclusivity of office
Section 44 Secrecy
Section 45 Salaries and pensions
Section 46 Government Secretary
Section 47 Regulations
Section 48 Knesset supervision of subsidiary legislation
Section 49 Declaration of a state of emergency
Section 50 State of emergency
Section 51 Declaration of war
Section 52 The Government and Knesset committees
Section 53 Inapplicability of emergency laws
Section 54 Notifications to the Knesset
Section 55 Publication in Reshumot
Section 56 Stability of the Law
Section 63 Commencement and applicability
Section 64 Transitional provisions
Section 65 Publication
{ Adopted: 16 June 1964 / Status: 16 June 1964 }
Section 1 Status
Section 2 Place of residence
Section 3 Election and period of tenure
Section 4 Eligibility
Section 5 Date of election
Section 6 Proposal of candidates
Section 7 Voting
Section 8 Election by majority of votes
Section 9 Declaration of allegiance
Section 10 Making of declaration and commencement of period of tenure
Section 11 Functions and Powers
Section 12 Countersignature
Section 13 Immunity with regard to discharge of functions
Section 14 Immunity from criminal proceedings
Section 15 Evidence
Section 16 Salary and other payments
Section 17 President to hold no other office
Section 18 Departure for abroad
Section 19 Resignation
Section 20 Removal of President from office
Section 21 Vacation of post for reasons of health
Section 22 Temporary cessation of exercise of office
Section 23 Interim President and Acting President
Section 24 Notices in Reshumot
Section 25 Law not to be affected by emergency regulations
{ Adopted: 12 Feb 1958 / Status: 19 May 1987 }
Section 1 What the Knesset is
Section 2 Place of sitting
Section 3 Composition
Section 4 Electoral system
Section 5 The right to vote
Section 6 The right to be elected
Section 7 Who shall not be a candidate
Section 7a Prevention of Participation of Candidates List
Section 8 Term of office of the Knesset
Section 9 Date of elections
Section 9a Lengthening of Period of Service
Section 10 Election day to be a day of rest
Section 11 Publication of election results
Section 12 Convening of the Knesset
Section 13 Opening of the Knesset
Section 14 Declaration of allegiance by members of the
Section 15 Declaration after the opening meeting
Section 16 Failure to make declaration
Section 17 Immunity of Knesset members
Section 18 Immunity of Knesset buildings
Section 19 Procedure and rules
Section 20 Chairman and Vice-Chairmen
Section 20a Acting Chairman and Interim Chairman of Knesset
Section 21 Committees
Section 22 Commissions of inquiry
Section 23 Government member who is not a member of the
Section 24 Quorum
Section 25 Majority
Section 26 Meetings
Section 27 Publicity of meetings
Section 28 Publication - open meetings
Section 29 Publication - closed meetings
Section 30 Prohibited publication
Section 31 Sessions
Section 32 Time for opening of sessions
Section 33 Convening of the Knesset out of season
Section 34 Dissolution of the Knesset
Section 35 Date of elections after dissolution of the Knesset
Section 36 Term of office of the Knesset after dissolution
Section 37 Continuity of the Knesset
Section 38 Extension of validity of enactments
Section 39 Remuneration of members of the Knesset
Section 40 Resignation of member of the Knesset
Section 41 Consequences of resignation
Section 42 Termination of tenure of member of the Knesset
Section 42a Knesset Member who has been convicted
Section 42b Suspension
Section 43 Replacement of Knesset member
Section 44 Law not to be affected by emergency regulations
Section 45 Entrenched sections
Section 45a Entrenchment provision
Section 46 Special majority when required
{ Adopted: 28 Feb 1984 / Status: 28 Feb 1984 }
Section 1 Judicial power
Section 2 Independence
Section 3 Publicity of proceedings
Section 4 Appointment of judges
Section 5 Nationality
Section 6 Declaration of allegiance
Section 7 Period of tenure
Section 8 Retired judge
Section 9 Restriction on re-posting
Section 10 Salary and benefits
Section 11 Judge not to engage in additional occupation, etc
Section 12 Criminal proceedings
Section 13 Disciplinary proceedings
Section 14 Suspension
Section 22 Law not to be affected by emergency regulations
Section 23 Provisions to be prescribed by Law
Section 24 Provisions to be prescribed under Law
{ Adopted: 19 July 1960 / Status: 19 July 1960 }
Section 1 Prohibition of transfer of ownership
Section 2 Permission by Law
Section 3 Definition
{ Adopted: 4 May 1994 / Valid: 1 Jan 1995 / Status: 1 Jan 1995 }
Section 1 Purpose of the Law
Section 2 Definitions
Section 3 Restriction on Palestinian Authority
Section 4 Restriction on activity of the PLO
Section 5 Duration of order
Section 6 Ancillary authorities
Section 7 Restriction on licensing
Section 8 Validity and entry into force
{ Adopted: 21 July 1975 / Status: 21 March 1983 }
Section 1 Taxes, compulsory loans, and fees
Section 2 State property
Section 3 The State Budget
Section 3b Failure to adopt the Budget Law
Section 4 Currency notes and coins
Section 5 Inspection
{ Adopted: 31 March 1976 / Status: 31 March 1976 }
Section 1 Defence Army of Israel
Section 2 Subordination to civil authority
Section 3 Chief of the General Staff
Section 4 Duty to serve and recruitment
Section 5 Instructions and orders in the Army
Section 6 Other armed forces
{ Adopted: 30 July 1980 / Status: 30 July 1980 }
Section 1 Jerusalem, Capital of Israel
Section 2 Seat of the President, the Knesset, the Government
Section 3 Protection of Holy Places
Section 4 Development of Jerusalem
{ Adopted: / Status: }
Section 1 Essence
Section 2 State Audit
Section 3 Duty to provide information
Section 4 Comptroller as Commissioner for Complaints
Section 5 Additional tasks
Section 6 Accountability to the Knesset
Section 7 Election, Term
Section 8 Qualifications
Section 9 Pledge of allegiance
Section 10 Budget
Section 11 Salary and emoluments
Section 12 Contact with Knesset and issuance of reports
Section 13 Removal from office
Section 14 Acting Comptroller If the State Comptroller is not
{ Adopted: 3 March 1992 / Status: 3 March 1992 }
Section 1 Freedom of occupation
Section 2 Reasons for licensing
Section 3 Application
Section 4 Stability
Section 5 Entrenchment
Section 6 Provisional measure
{ Adopted: 9 March 1994 / Status: 9 March 1994 }
Section 1 Basic principles
Section 2 Purpose
Section 3 Freedom of occupation
Section 4 Violation of freedom
Section 5 Application
Section 6 Stability
Section 7 Entrenchment
Section 8 Validity of exceptional laws
Section 9 Repeal
Section 10 Provisional measure
{ Adopted: 17 March 1992 / Status: 9 March 1994 }
Section 1 Basic Principles
Section 1a Purpose
Section 2 Preservation of life, body and dignity
Section 3 Protection of property
Section 4 Protection of life, body, and dignity
Section 5 Personal liberty
Section 6 Leaving and entering Israel
Section 7 Privacy
Section 8 Violation of rights
Section 9 Reservation regarding security forces
Section 10 Validity of laws
Section 11 Application
Section 12 Stability
The Government
The seat of the Government is Jerusalem.
(a) The Government is comprised of the Prime Minister and
Ministers.
(b) The Prime Minister serves by virtue of his being elected in
the national general elections, to be conducted on a direct,
equal, and secret basis in compliance with The Election Law
(The Knesset and The Prime Minister).
(c) The Ministers will be appointed by the Prime Minister; their
appointment requires the approval of the Knesset.
(d) Should the Knesset reject the Prime Minister's proposal
regarding the composition of the Government, it will be
regarded as an expression of no confidence in the Prime
Minister, and the provisions of Section 19 (b) will apply.
Whenever elections are being conducted for the Knesset, the
same date will also be determined for the elections for the
Prime Minister, excepting when new elections are held pursuant
to an election appeal.
In the cases specified in this Basic Law separate elections will
be held for the election of the Prime Minister (hereinafter -
special elections).
Persons entitled to vote in the elections to the Knesset shall be
entitled to vote in the elections for the Prime Minister.
The period of service of the Prime Minister and the Ministers
shall be equal to the period of service of the Knesset to which
they were elected; in special elections for the period of service
of the Knesset serving at that time, unless specified differently
in this Basic Law.
(a) Persons fulfilling the following conditions are eligible
candidates for the Prime Ministership:
(1) Eligible for candidacy to the Knesset and at least thirty
years old on the day of submission of candidacy.
(2) Should the elections for the Prime Minister be conducted at
the same time as the Knesset elections - the candidate for Prime
Minister will head the list of candidates for the Knesset.
(3) Should special elections be held - he will be a member of
Knesset.
(a) The following bodies may propose Prime Ministerial
candidates:
(1) A faction of the outgoing Knesset, with no less than ten
members, having submitted a list of candidates to the Knesset.
(2) A few factions of the outgoing Knesset, with not less than
ten members, having submitted a list of candidates or lists of
candidates to the Knesset.
(3) Fifty thousand enfranchised persons.
(b) In special elections, a candidate may be proposed by a
faction or factions of the Knesset, the total number of members
of the faction or factions not being less than ten members or
fifty thousand enfranchised persons.
(a) Should this Basic Law give cause for the conducting of
special elections, the said elections will be conducted on the last
Tuesday preceding the passage of sixty days from the day that
the cause for the elections was created.
(b) Should this Basic Law give cause for the conducting of
special elections and the date thereof is one year or less prior to
the conducting of Knesset elections according to Section
9 of The Basic Law: The Knesset, the Knesset
elections will be brought forward, and the Knesset elections and
the Prime Ministerial elections will be conducted on the date
initially determined for the special elections.
Should the date of the Knesset elections or the date of the Prime
Ministerial elections according to this Basic Law, fall on a day
of rest, the eve of a day of rest or the day after a day of rest,
the elections will then be held on the first subsequent Tuesday
that is not a day of rest, the eve of a day of rest or the day after
a day of rest.
(a) In the event of a candidate's death or if reasons of health
prevent him from being a candidate, after the final date
specified by law for the submission of candidacy, the elections
for the Knesset and the Prime Minister or the special elections
will accordingly be postponed accordingly.
(b) {...}
(a) Within 45 days of the publication of the election results the
Prime Minister elect will appear before the Knesset, present the
Ministers of the Government, announce the division of tasks
and the guiding principles of the Government's policies, and the
Prime Minister and the Ministers will begin their service,
provided that the provisions of Section 33 (a) and (b) have
been complied with. As soon as possible after that the Prime
Minister and the Ministers will make their declarations of
allegiance before the Knesset in the version specified in
Subsection (c).
(b) The Prime Minister elect will give the Speaker of the
Knesset preliminary notice of his intention to appear before the
Knesset not later than seven days before the termination of the
period specified in Subsection (a); should the notification be not
be given during one of the Knesset sessions, the Knesset
Speaker will convene the Knesset for that purpose.
(c) This is the text of the declaration of allegiance of the Prime
Minister:
"I (name) as Prime Minister undertake to uphold the State of
Israel and its laws, to faithfully fulfil my role as the Prime
Minister and to comply with the decisions of the
Knesset."
This is the text of the declaration of allegiance of the
Ministers:
"I (name) as a member of the Government, undertake to uphold
the State of Israel and its laws, to faithfully fulfil my role as a
member of the Government, and to comply with the decisions of
the Knesset."
(a) Should the Government not be presented in accordance with
the provisions of Section 14, special elections will be held.
(b) Should the Prime Minister elect fail to present the
Government as stated, and is again elected Prime Minister and
again fails to present a Government, he may not submit his
candidacy in the subsequent special elections.
(a) A person ineligible for candidacy to the Knesset may not be
appointed as a Minister; however, a person having served in a
position or role as specified in Section 7 of The Basic
Law: The Knesset, may be appointed as Ministers, provided
that he cease functioning in the said position or role prior to his
appointment.
(b) A person convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude,
prior to the passage of ten years from the day he completed his
period of punishment, may not be appointed as a Minister.
(c) A Knesset member seceding from his faction and failing to
tender his resignation as a Knesset member may not be
appointed as a Minister during the period of service of that
Knesset.
(a) Should a written agreement be drawn up pertaining to the
election of the Prime Minister or the establishment of the
Government, or relating an expression of no confidence therein,
or pertaining to the adding of Ministers to the Government after
its establishment, or pertaining to the appointment of a Deputy
Minister, the sides to the agreement shall then submit its
complete text to the Secretary of the Knesset within three days
of signing, and not later than 48 hours before the election day
or 24 hours before the presentation of the Government or the no
confidence vote, respectively; in the figuring of days and hours,
legally endorsed days of rest or religious holidays shall not be
included; should an agreement be drawn up by a list of
candidates to the Knesset, the sides will immediately submit a
copy thereof to the Secretary of the Knesset.
(b) The Secretary of the Knesset will immediately notify the
Knesset of any agreement submitted to him according to this
section, and during an Knesset election period he shall also
bring them to the attention of the representatives of the
candidates, lists.
(c) After the time period specified in Subsection (a) no
agreement pertaining to any of the stated issues shall signed
unless a new period has been specified for the same issue
allowing publication of the agreement as specified in this
section.
(a) Where the Law confers authority to remove persons from
any position in the Knesset, the Government, the civil service, a
statutory company, a Government company or any other public
body, no agreement shall be made nor shall any commitment be
given regarding the permanence of that person in his role.
(b) No guarantee shall be granted either directly or indirectly in
money, its equivalent, via services or any other kind of benefit,
for the ensurance of the performance of an agreement or
commitment as specified in this section, and such guarantees
will not be valid.
(a) The Knesset may by means of a majority of its members
adopt an expression of no confidence in the Prime Minister.
(b) An expression of no confidence in the Prime Minister will
be deemed to be a Knesset decision to disperse prior to the
completion of its period of service.
Non-adoption of the Budget Law
(a) Should the Knesset express no confidence in the Prime
Minister, or fail to adopt the Budget Law under the provisions
of Section 20, elections to the Knesset and to the position
of Prime Minister will be conducted on the last Tuesday before
the passage of 60 days after the expression of no confidence, or
upon the completion of the period as stated in Section 20.
(b) Sections 34 and 35 of the Basic Law: The
Knesset, will not apply to the dispersion of the Knesset in
accordance with Sections 19 and 20.
(c) The Speaker of the Knesset will give notice in Reshumot of
an expression of no confidence or of failure to adopt the
Budgetary Law.
(a) Should the Prime Minister ascertain that a majority of the
Knesset opposes the Government, and that the effective
functioning of the Government is prevented as a result, he may,
with the approval of the President of the State, disperse the
Knesset by way of an order to be published in Reshumot; a
decision to disperse the Knesset will be regarded as a decision
of the Knesset to disperse prior to the completion of its term of
service, and new elections for the Knesset and the Prime
Minister, will be conducted on the last Tuesday before the
passage of 60 days from the day of the dispersion of the
Knesset.
(b) The Prime Minister may not exercise his authority
according to this section:
(1) from the beginning of the period of service of the incoming
Knesset and until the establishment of the new Government;
(2) from the day on which the Knesset committee of the Knesset
decided to recommend that he be removed from service and
until the day the Knesset plenum renders its decision in the
matter in accordance with the provisions of Sections 26 and
27.
(a) The Prime Minister may, after notifying the Government of
his decision to do so, resign by way of submitting his written
resignation to the President of the State; the resignation will go
into force 48 hours after the letter of resignation is submitted to
the President, unless the Prime Minister retracts prior to such
time.
(b) A Prime Minister who has resigned will give notice thereof
to the Speaker of the Knesset, and the Speaker of the Knesset
will then give notice to the Knesset.
(c) Should the Prime Minister resign, special elections will be
conducted.
Should the Prime Minister cease to function as a member of the
Knesset, he will be deemed to have resigned.
(a) Criminal proceedings shall not be commenced against the
Prime Minister save with the agreement of the Attorney
General, and the Prime Minister may only be impeached by the
Attorney General.
(b) An indictment against the Prime Minister will be filed and
presided over in the Jerusalem District Court, in a presidium of
three judges.
(c) Should the Court convict the Prime Minister of an offence,
it will state in its decision whether the offence involved moral
turpitude.
(a) Should the Prime Minister be convicted of an offence
involving moral turpitude, the Knesset may remove him from
office, pursuant to a decision of a majority of the Knesset
members.
(b) Within 30 days of the verdict becoming final, the Knesset
Committee of the Knesset will render its decision regarding its
recommendation pertaining to the removal of the Prime
Minister from office; a committee decision to remove the Prime
Minister from office shall be a majority decision of its
members; should the committee recommend that the Prime
Minister be removed from his office, its decision will be
brought before the Knesset plenum; should the committee fail to
bring its recommendation to the plenum during the prescribed
period, the Speaker will raise the issue in the Knesset plenum at
the earliest date possible.
(c) No decision shall be made by either the Knesset or the
Knesset Committee regarding the removal of the Prime Minister
from office, before the Prime Minister has been given an
opportunity to state his case before them.
(d) Should the Knesset decide to remove the Prime Minister
from office, special elections will be conducted.
(e) The provisions of Sections 42a and 42b of
the Basic Law: The Knesset, shall not apply to the Prime
Minister.
(a) The Knesset may, pursuant to a vote of 80 of its members,
remove the Prime Minister from office.
(b) A motion to remove the Prime Minister from office will be
submitted by at least 40 Knesset members to the Speaker of the
Knesset, and the Speaker will submit it for debate in the
Knesset Committee of the Knesset.
(c) The Knesset Committee will decide regarding the motion
and present its recommendation to the Knesset plenum within
30 days of the motion being submitted to it; should the
Committee fail to present its recommendation in the specified
period, the Speaker of the Knesset will bring the matter to
debate in the Knesset plenum at the earliest possible date.
(d) Neither the Knesset Committee nor the Knesset itself may
decide to remove the Prime Minister unless the Prime Minister
has been first given an opportunity to state his case before
them.
(e) Should the Knesset decide to remove the Prime Minister
from his office, special elections will be conducted.
Should the Prime Minister die or be permanently incapacitated,
special elections will be held.
(a) Should the Prime Minister die, be permanently
incapacitated, or be removed from office, the Government will
empower one of the Ministers who is also a Knesset member,
to serve as acting Prime Minister until the new Prime Minister
takes office.
(b) The acting Prime Minister will have all the powers of the
Prime Minister, except for the power to disperse the Knesset.
(a) Should the Prime Minister be absent from the country,
meetings of the Government will be convened and conducted by
the Minister delegated by the Prime Minister.
(b) Should the Prime Minister be temporarily unable to
discharge his duties for a period not exceeding 100 consecutive
days, his place will be filled by a Minister who is also a
Knesset member and appointed by the Prime Minister; failing
the appointment of a Deputy, or should the appointed person
not be able to perform his duties, a Minister who is a Knesset
member shall be appointed by the Government as acting Prime
Minister until either the Prime Minister or permanent acting
Prime Minister resumes his functions.
(c) The provisions of Subsection (a) shall apply to the acting
Prime Minister during the period in which he acts in that
capacity.
(d) After the passage of one hundred days upon which the
Prime Minister does not resume his duties, the Prime Minister
will be deemed to have permanently ceased to discharge his
duties and the provisions of Sections 28 and 29 shall
apply.
(a) A Prime Minister who has resigned or in whom the Knesset
expressed no confidence, will continue in office until the newly
elected Prime Minister assumes office.
(b) In the event of the Prime Minister's death, permanent
incapacitation, resignation, removal from office, or an
expression of no confidence by the Knesset, the Ministers will
continue in office until the newly elected Prime Minister
assumes office.
During the election period for the Knesset and the Prime
Minister or during special elections, the Prime Minister and the
Ministers of the outgoing Knesset will continue in office until
the Prime Minister and the Ministers of the new Government
assume office.
(a) The Government shall not exceed eighteen members in
number and not be less than eight.
(b) At least one half of the Ministers shall be Knesset members.
(c) A Minister shall be appointed over an office, but a Minister
may be a Minister without portfolio.
(d) The Prime Minister may also function as a Minister
appointed over an office.
(e) Subject to the provisions of Subsections (a) and (b), the
Prime Minister may add extra Ministers to the Government
after its establishment; the commencement of service of a
Minister so added to the Government shall be with the
submission of notice from the Prime Minister to the Knesset
regarding his appointment; immediately afterwards, the new
Minister will submit his declaration of allegiance in accordance
with the version prescribed in Section 14 (c).
(a) In a Government in which the number of Ministers
including the Prime Minister does not exceed eight, no Minister
may be removed from his post.
(b) Should the number of Ministers in the Government
including the Prime Minister be less than eight, the Prime
Minister will appoint a Minister or Ministers to complement the
required minimum; the appointment shall be made within 72
hours and until such time he may not remove any Minister from
his post; if the required minimum is not complemented in
accordance with these provisions, special elections will be
conducted.
(a) A Minister may resign from the Government by submitting
a letter of resignation to the Prime Minister. His service in the
Government will be terminated upon the passage of 48 hours
from the time the letter of resignation reached the Prime
Minister, unless he retracts prior to such time.
(b) The Prime Minister may, by way of written notification,
remove a Minister from his post; the removal of Minister will
take effect 48 hours after the letter notifying thereof was given
to the Minister, unless the Prime Minister retracts prior to such
time.
(c) The Knesset may remove a Minister from his post, by way
of a decision of a majority of seventy of its members; the
Knesset will not debate the removal of a Minister from his post
unless the initial recommendation of a majority of the Knesset
committee members is received and after the Minister has been
provided with an opportunity to state his case before the
Knesset Committee and before the Knesset plenum.
(d) The Prime Minister will give notice of the termination of
the service of a Minister to both the Government and to the
Knesset, at a meeting or in another manner.
Should the Minister cease to serve, be absent from the country,
or be temporarily incapable of discharging his duties, the Prime
Minister or another Minister appointed by the Prime Minister
will discharge his duties until the Minister resumes his regular
duties or until the appointment of his replacement; the Prime
Minister will give notification to the Government and to the
Speaker of the Knesset regarding the appointed acting Minister,
and the Speaker of the Knesset will give notice to the Knesset.
(a) The Minister in charge of an office, may, with the approval
of the Prime Minister, appoint a Deputy Minister for the office,
the Deputy having been appointed from amongst the Knesset
members; the Prime Minister too may appoint a Deputy in the
stated manner; a Deputy Minister shall assume his role after
notice of his appointment has been given by the Government to
the Knesset; a Deputy Minister appointed by the Prime Minister
shall be entitled "a Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's
office"; the number of Deputy Ministers shall not exceed six.
(b) The Deputy Minister shall act both in the Knesset and in
office, on behalf of the Knesset member who appointed him and
within the parameters allocated to him.
(c) A Knesset member seceding from his faction without
resigning from his position subsequent to his secession, may not
be appointed to the position of Deputy Minister during the
period of service of the same Knesset.
The service of a Deputy Minister will be terminated in any of
the following cases:
(1) The Deputy Minister resigned by submitting a letter of
resignation to the member of Government who appointed him;
(2) The same Minister ceased being a Minister or being in
charge of the same office; or in the case of the Prime Minister
ceasing to serve if the Deputy was a Deputy Minister in the
Prime Minister's office;
(3) The Prime Minister or the appointing Minister decide to
terminate the service of the Deputy Minister;
(4) The Deputy Minister ceased being a Knesset member.
(a) The Prime Minister may:
(1) Determine the roles of the Ministers;
(2) Change the division of roles amongst the Ministers;
(3) Transfer authorities and duties not specified in the Law from
one Minister to another;
(4) Transfer areas of actions from one office to another;
(5) Establish the Government offices, unite or divide them,
abolish them or establish new offices, and having done so give
notice thereof to the Knesset;
(6) Establish permanent or temporary Ministerial committees
for particular matters; after the appointment of a committee the
Government may conduct its operations through it;
(b) Authority granted by law to a particular Minister may be
transferred by the Prime Minister either totally or partially to
another Minister; a decision according to this section must be
approved by the Government;
(c) The Prime Minister will conduct the functioning of the
Government and will set work procedures and voting
procedures in the Government and its committees;
(d) Government decisions will be adopted by a majority vote;
should the vote be drawn, the Prime Minister will have an
additional vote.
The Government is authorized to perform in the name of the
State and subject to any law, all actions which are not legally
incumbent on another authority.
(a) with the exception of powers granted in accordance with this
Basic Law, powers granted by law to the Government may be
delegated to one of the Ministers.
(b) Powers granted to a Minister by law, transferred to him
under the provisions of Section 39 (b), with the exclusion
of the authority to make regulations, may be delegated by the
Minister either totally or partially or subject to conditions to a
civil servant.
(c) Powers delegated by the Government to a Minister, with the
exception of the power to make regulations, may be delegated
by the Minister either totally or partially or subject to
conditions to a civil servant provided that the Government
empowered him to do so.
(d) For the purposes of this section and Section 39 (b) -
(1) The power granted to the Government or a Minister also
refers to duties incumbent upon them;
(2) A Minister - includes the Prime Minister.
(e) The provisions of this section will apply provided no other
intention is evidenced by the law conferring the power or
imposing the obligation.
A Minister, including the Prime Minister, charged the
implementation of the law, may assume any power, with the
exception of powers of a judicial nature, granted by law to a
civil servant, provided that no other intention is evidenced by
the law; the Minister may do the above for a particular matter
or for a specific period.
The Prime Minister, Ministers and Deputy Ministers will
discharge their roles in good faith, and will not engage in
economic or public activities save within the parameters and in
compliance with the principles stipulated by the Government.
(a) The debates and decisions of the Government and those of
the Ministerial committees regarding the following matters are
secret and their disclosure and publication is prohibited; and
these are the matters:
(1) State security;
(2) Foreign relations of the State;
(3) Matters regarding which the Government deems secrecy to
be essential to the State, a notification thereof having been
declared in an order, for the purposes of this law;
(4) A matter that the Government has decided to keep secret;
the disclosure and publication of such matters is forbidden only
to persons who were aware of the decision.
(b) The provisions of Subsection (a) shall not apply to matters
regarding which the Government or the Prime Minister, or such
persons that the Government or the Prime Minister have
specifically authorized, have permitted their publication or
matters the publication of which is legally mandatory.
The salaries of the Prime Minister, the Ministers and the
Deputy Ministers and other payments paid to them during their
period of service or thereafter, or to their next of kin after their
deaths, will be specified by law, or by virtue of a decision of
the Knesset, or a public committee appointed by the Knesset for
that purpose.
The Government will, according to the proposal of the the
Prime Minister, appoint a Government Secretary and specify his
duties.
(a) The Prime Minister or the Minister charged with the
implementation of a law, is empowered to make regulations for
its implementation.
(b) A law may empower the Prime Minister or a Minister to
make regulations in a matter specified in the authorization.
(a) Regulations made by the Prime Minister or a Minister and
mandating penal sanctions for their violation will not come into
force unless having been approved prior to their publication by
the specific Knesset committee responsible for the matter treated
therein, should the committee fail to render its decision either
approving or rejecting the regulation within 30 days from the
day the regulations were submitted, the regulations will be
considered to have been approved.
(b) Nothing in the provisions of this section shall derogate from
the provisions of a basic law or another law relating to
regulations.
(a) Should the Knesset ascertain that the State is in a state of
emergency, it may, of its own initiative or, pursuant to a
Government proposal, declare that a state of emergency exists.
(b) The declaration will remain in force for the period
prescribed therein, but may not exceed one year; the Knesset
may make a renewed declaration of a state of emergency as
stated.
(c) Should the Government ascertain that a state of emergency
exists in the State and that its urgency necessitates the
declaration of a state of emergency, even before it becomes
possible to convene the Knesset, it may declare a state of
emergency. The declaration's validity shall expire upon 7 days
from its proclamation, if not previously approved or revoked by
the Knesset, pursuant to a decision by a majority of its
members; should the Knesset fail to convene, the Government
may make a renewed declaration of a state of emergency as
stated in this subsection.
(d) The Knesset and Governmental declarations of a state of
emergency will be published in Reshumot; should publication in
Reshumot not be possible, another appropriate manner will be
adopted, provided that notification thereof be published in
Reshumot at the earliest possible date.
(e) The Knesset may at all times revoke the declaration of the
state of emergency; notification of its revocation will be
published in Reshumot.
(a) During a state of emergency the Government may make
emergency regulations for the defence of the State, public
security and the maintenance of supplies and essential services;
emergency regulations will be submitted to the Foreign Affairs
and Security Committee at the earliest possible date after their
enactment.
(b) Should the Prime Minister deem it impossible to convene
the Knesset, given the existence of an immediate and critical
need to make emergency regulations, he may make such
regulations or empower a Minister to make them.
(c) Emergency regulations may alter any law temporarily
suspend its effect or introduce conditions, and may also impose
or increase taxes or other compulsory payments unless there be
another provision by law.
(d) Emergency regulations may not prevent recourse to legal
action, or prescribe retroactive punishment or allow
infringement upon human dignity
(e) Emergency regulations shall not be enacted, nor shall
arrangements, measures and powers be implemented in their
wake, except to the extent warranted by the state of emergency.
(f) The force of emergency regulations shall expire three
months after the day of their enactment unless their force is
extended by law, or they are revoked by the Knesset by law, or
pursuant to a decision of a majority of the members of Knesset.
(g) Emergency regulations shall come into force on the day of
their publication in Reshumot; should publication in Reshumot
not be possible another appropriate means of publication will be
adopted provided that they be published in Reshumot as soon as
possible.
(h) Should the state of emergency cease to exist, the regulations
enacted will remain in force for the duration of the prescribed
period, however not longer than for 60 days after the
termination of the state of emergency; state of emergency
regulations whose force was lengthened by law shall remain in
force.
(a) The state may only begin a war pursuant to a Government
decision.
(b) Nothing in the provisions of this section will prevent the
adoption of military actions necessary for the the defence of the
state and public security.
(c) Notification of a Government decision to begin a war under
the provision of Subsection (a) will be submitted to the Knesset
Foreign Affairs and Security Committee as soon as possible; the
Prime Minister also will give notice to the Knesset plenum as
soon as possible; notification regarding military actions as stated
in Subsection (b) will be given to the Knesset Foreign Affairs
and Security Committee as soon as possible.
(a) The Government will provide the Knesset and its
committees with information upon request and will assist them
in the discharging of their roles; special provisions will be
prescribed by law for the classification of information when the
same is required for the protection of state security and foreign
relations or international trade connections or the protection of a
legally mandated privilege.
(b) The Knesset may, at the request of at least forty of its
members, conduct a session with the participation of the Prime
Minister, pertaining to a topic decided upon; requests as stated
may be submitted no more than once a month.
(c) The Knesset may obligate a Minister to appear before it,
similar authority is granted to any of the Knesset committees
within the framework of their tasks.
(d) Any of the Knesset committees may within the framework
of the discharging of their duties, and under the auspices of the
relevant Minister and with his knowledge, require a civil
servant or any other person prescribed in the law, to appear
before them.
(e) The Prime Minister and any Minister may speak before the
Knesset and its committees.
(f) Details regarding the implementation of this section may be
prescribed by law or in the Knesset articles.
Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, emergency
regulations cannot change this Basic Law, temporarily suspend
it, or make it subject to conditions.
(a) The Government shall notify the Knesset regarding the
following matters:
(1) The appointment of an acting Prime Minister or the
appointment of the Prime Minister;
(2) The resignation or the death of the Prime Minister;
(3) The resignation or the death of a Minister;
(4) Transfer of activities from one office to another;
(5) The expiration of the office of a Deputy Minister.
(b) The notification will be made in the Knesset, and, during
the Knesset recess, to the Speaker of the Knesset, who will
notify the Knesset members thereof.
(a) The Knesset shall give public notice of the following in
Reshumot:
(1) Knesset expression of no-confidence in the Prime Minister;
(2) Removal of the Prime Minister from his office;
(3) The removal of a Minister from his office by the Knesset;
(4) A Knesset approval in accordance with Section 39 (b);
(5) A decision under Section 45.
(b) The Government shall give public notice of the following in
Reshumot:
(1) The presentation of the Government to the Knesset, its
Ministers and the allocation of roles between them;
(2) The addition of a Minister to the Government;
(3) Assumption of powers under Section 42;
(4) A Prime Ministerial decision under Sections 39
(a)(1)-(5);
(5) The appointment of a Deputy Minister or the expiration of
his office;
(6) The appointment of the Government Secretary;
(7) The removal of a Minister from office by the Prime
Minister.
(a) This Basic Law may not changed unless by a majority of the
Knesset members; however, a provision prescribing that
Knesset decision must be adopted by a specified number of the
Knesset members, will not be altered unless by at least the same
amount of Knesset members; the required majority under this
section will be required for decisions of the Knesset during the
first reading the second reading and the third reading; "change"
for the purposes of this section means both specific and by
implication.
(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to Sections
57-63.
(a) The provision of this Basic Law will apply to the election of
the Prime Minister and to the establishment of the Government
beginning from the elections to the fourteenth Knesset.
(b) Subject to the provisions of Subsection (a), this Basic Law
shall come into force on the first day of service of the Prime
Minister elected in accordance with the provisions
of Subsection (a).
(a) On the day of the coming into force of this Basic Law, a
state of emergency will deemed to have been declared
according to Section 49 (a) of this Basic Law.
(b) Any legislation containing a provision making its continued
force dependent on the continuation of the state of emergency
as declared according to Section 9 of the Law and Order
Ordinance 5708-1948, will remain in force for as long as a state
of emergency exists, in accordance to Subsection (a).
(c) Any legislation referring to the state of emergency as
declared according to Section 9 of the Law and Order
Ordinance 5708-1948, will be deemed as referring to a state of
emergency declared according to Section 49 of this Basic
Law.
This law will come into force 30 days from the day of its
adoption.
Israel - Basic Law: The President of the State
A President shall be the head of the state
The place of residence of the President of the State shall be
Jerusalem.
The President of the State shall be elected by the Knesset for
five years.
A person who has held office as President of the State for two
successive periods shall not be a candidate in the election for
the period immediately following.
The election of the President of the State shall be held not
earlier than ninety days and not later than thirty days before the
expiration of the period of tenure of the President in office. If
the place of the President of the State falls vacant before the
expiration of his period of tenure, the election shall be held
within forty-five days from the day on which such place falls
vacant. The Chairman of the Knesset, in consultation with the
Deputy Chairman, shall fix the day of the election and shall
notify it to all the Members of the Knesset in writing at least
twenty days in advance. If the day of the election does not fall
in one of the session terms of the Knesset, the Chairman of the
Knesset shall convene the Knesset for the election of the
President of the State.
(a) When the day of the election has been fixed, any ten or
more Members of the Knesset may propose a candidate. The
proposal shall be in writing and shall be delivered to the
Chairman of the Knesset, together with the consent of the
candidate in writing or by telegram, not later than ten days
before the day of the election. A member of the Knesset shall
not sponsor the proposal of more than one candidate.
(b) The Chairman of the Knesset shall notify all the members of
the Knesset, in writing, not later than seven days before the day
of the election, of every candidate proposed and of the names
of the Members of the Knesset who have proposed him, and
shall announce the candidates at the opening of the meeting at
which the election is held.
The election of the President of the State shall be by secret
ballot at a meeting of the Knesset assigned only for that
purpose.
The candidate who has received the votes of a majority of the
Members of the Knesset is elected. If no candidate receives
such a majority, a second ballot shall be held. If there is no
majority as aforesaid at the second ballot, either, voting shall be
continued. At the third and every subsequent ballot, the
candidate who at the preceding ballot received the smallest
number of votes shall no longer stand for election. The
candidate who at the third or any subsequent ballot receives a
majority of the votes of the Members of the Knesset who take
part in the voting and vote for one of the candidates is elected.
If two candidates receive the same number of votes, voting
shall be repeated.
The President-Elect shall make and sign before the Knesset the
following declaration of allegiance:
"I pledge myself to bear allegiance to the State of Israel and to
its laws and faithfully to carry out my functions as President of
the State.".
The President-Elect shall make his declaration of allegiance and
begin to hold office upon the expiration of the period of tenure
of the preceding President of the State. If the place of the
preceding President of the State falls vacant before the
expiration of his period of tenure, the President-Elect shall
make his declaration of allegiance as soon as possible after his
election and shall begin to hold office upon making his
declaration of allegiance.
(a) The President of the State -
(1) shall sign every Law, other than a Law relating to its
powers;
(2) shall take action to achieve the formation of a Government
and shall receive the resignation of the Government in
accordance with Law;
(3) shall receive from the Government a report on its meetings;
(4) shall accredit the diplomatic representatives of the State,
shall receive the credentials of diplomatic representatives sent to
Israel by foreign states, shall empower the consular
representatives of the State and shall confirm the appointments
of consular representatives sent to Israel by foreign states;
(5) shall sign such conventions with foreign states as have been
ratified by the Knesset;
(6) shall carry out every function assigned to him by Law in
connection with the appointment and removal from office of
judges and other office-holder's.
(b) The President of the State shall have power to pardon
offenders and to lighten penalties by the reduction or
commutation thereof.
(c) The President of the State shall carry out every other
function and have every other power assigned to him by Law.
The signature of the President of State on an official document,
other than a document connected with the formation of a
Government, shall require the countersignature of the Prime
Minister or of such other Minister as the Government may
decide.
(a) The President of the State shall not be amenable to any
court or tribunal, and shall be immune from any legal act, in
respect of anything connected with his functions or powers.
(b) The President of the State shall not, in giving evidence,
have to disclose anything which came to his knowledge in the
discharge of his functions as President of the State.
(c) The immunity of the President of the State under this section
shall continue after he has ceased to be President of the State.
The President of the State shall not be criminally prosecuted.
The period during which, by virtue of this section, the
President of the State cannot be prosecuted for an offence shall
not be counted in calculating the period of prescription of that
offence.
If the President of the State is required to give evidence, his
evidence shall be taken at such place and time as shall be
determined with his sanction.
The salary of the President of the State, and other payments to
be made to him during or after his period of tenure, including
payments to be made to his survivors, shall be fixed by
resolution of the Knesset, which may empower the Finance
Committee in that behalf. Resolutions under this section shall
be published in Reshumot.
(a) Save with the sanction of the House Committee of the
Knesset, the President of the State shall not hold any post, or
exercise any function, other than the post and functions of
President of the State.
(b) The President of the State shall be exempt from all
compulsory service.
The President of the State shall not leave the territory of the
State save with the sanction of the Government.
The President of the State may resign his office by submitting a
letter of resignation to the Chairman of the Knesset. The letter
of resignation shall not require a countersignature. The place
of the President of the State shall become vacant forty-eight
hours after the letter of resignation reaches the Chair-man of the
Knesset.
(a) The Knesset may, by resolution, remove the President of the
State from office if it finds that he is unworthy of his office
owing to conduct unbecoming his status as President of the
State.
(b) The Knesset shall not remove the President of the State
from office, save following a complaint brought before the
House Committee by at least twenty members of the Knesset
and upon the proposal of the House Committee passed by a
three-quarters majority of the members of the Committee. A
resolution by the Knesset to remove the President from office
shall require a three-quarters majority of the Members of the
Knesset.
(c) The House Committee shall not propose the removal of the
President of the State from office before he has been given an
opportunity to refute the complaint in accordance with
procedure prescribed by the Committee with the approval of the
Knesset, and the Knesset shall not resolve to remove the
President of the State from office before he has been given an
opportunity to be heard in accordance with procedure
prescribed by the House Committee with the approval of the
Knesset.
(d) The President of the State may be represented before the
House Committee and before the Knesset by an authorised
representative. A Member of the Knesset shall not act as the
representative of the President. The House Committee and the
Knesset may summon the President of the State to be present at
proceedings under this section.
(e) Proceedings of the Knesset under this section shall be taken
at a meeting, or successive meetings, assigned solely for that
purpose. The proceedings shall begin not later than twenty
days after the resolution of the House Committee. The time of
their beginning shall be notified by the Chairman of the Knesset
to all the Members of the Knesset, in writing, at least ten days
in advance. If the beginning of the proceedings does not fall in
one of the session terms of the Knesset, the Chairman of the
Knesset shall convene the Knesset for the proceedings.
(a) The Knesset may, by resolution passed by a majority of its
members, declare that for reasons of health the President of the
State is permanently unable to carry out his functions.
(b) The Knesset shall not pass a resolution as aforesaid save
upon the proposal of the House Committee passed by a
two-thirds majority of its members on the strength of a medical
opinion given in accordance with rules prescribed by the
Committee.
(c) If the Knesset resolves as aforesaid, the place of the
President of the State shall become vacant on the day of the
resolution.
(a) The President of the State shall temporarily cease to carry
out his functions and exercise his powers -
(1) if he leaves the territory of the State - from the time of his
leaving until his
(2) if he notifies the House Committee that for reasons of health
he is temporarily unable to carry out his functions and the
Knesset Committee approves his notification by a majority of
votes -- from the time of the approval of the notification until
the expiration of the period fixed by the Committee in its
resolution or until the President of the State notifies the House
Committee that he is no longer unable to carry out his
functions, whichever is the earlier date;
(3) if the House Committee, by a two-thirds majority of its
members, on the strength of a medical opinion given in
accordance with rules prescribed by the Committee, resolves
that for reasons of health the President of the State is
temporarily unable to carry out his functions -- from the passing
of the resolution until the expiration of the period fixed by the
House Committee in the resolution or until the House
Committee resolves that the President is no longer unable to
carry out his functions.
(b) The House Committee shall not, under Subsection (a)(2) or
(3), fix a period exceeding three months. It may extend the
period, without a break, up to a maximum of three additional
months. Any further extension shall require a resolution of the
Knesset passed by a majority of the Members of the Knesset
upon the proposal of the House Committee.
(a) If the place of the President of the State has fallen vacant,
and so long as the new President has not yet begun to hold
office, the Chairman of the Knesset shall hold office as Interim
President of the State.
(b) During a period in which the President of the State has
temporarily ceased to carry out his functions and exercise his
powers, the Chairman of the Knesset shall hold office as Acting
President of the State.
(c) While holding office as Interim President of the State or
Acting President of the State, the Chairman of the Knesset shall
carry out the functions assigned to the President of the State by
Law and shall exercise the powers vested in the President of the
State by Law.
(a) The Chairman of the Knesset shall publish a notice in
Reshumot as to -
(1) the commencement of the tenure of the President of the
State;
(2) the vacancy of the place of the President of the State;
(3) the commencement and termination of the tenure of the
Chairman of the Knesset as Acting President of the State under
Section 22 (a)(2) and (3).
(b) The Prime Minister shall publish a notice in Reshumot as to
the President's leaving the territory of the State and as to his
return.
Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, this Law
cannot be varied, suspended, or made subject to conditions, by
emergency regulations.
Israel - Basic Law: The Knesset
The Knesset is the parliament of the State
The place of sitting of the Knesset is Jerusalem.
The Knesset shall, upon its election, consist of one hundred and
twenty members.
The Knesset shall be elected by general, national, direct, equal,
secret and proportional elections, in accordance with the
Knesset Elections Law; this section shall not be varied save by
a majority of the members of the Knesset.
Every Israel national of or over the age of eighteen years shall
have the right to vote
(a) Every Israel national who on the day of the admission of a
candidates list containing his name is twenty-one years of age
or over shall have the right to be elected to the Knesset unless a
court has deprived him of that right by virtue of any Law or he
has been sentenced to a penalty of actual imprisonment for a
term of five years or more for an offence against the security of
the State designated in that behalf by the Knesset Elections Law
and five years have not yet passed since the day when he
terminated his period of imprisonment.
(b) Where an Israeli national is a national also of another state,
and the law of that state enables his release from its nationality,
he shall not be a candidate for the Knesset unless, by the time
of the submission of the candidates' list including his name and
to the satisfaction of the chairman of the Knesset Central
Elections Committee, he has done everything required on his
part to be released therefrom. For this purpose, a person shall
not be regarded as a national of another state unless, at any
time, he had a passport of that state or another document
attesting to his being a national of that state.
The following shall not be candidates for the Knesset:
(1) the President of the State;
(2) the two Chief Rabbis;
(3) a judge, so long as he holds office;
(4) a judge of a religious court, so long as he holds office;
(5) the State Comptroller;
(6) the Chief of the General Staff of the Defence Army of
Israel;
(7) rabbis and ministers of other religions while holding office
for a remuneration;
(8) senior State employees and senior Army officers of such
grades or ranks and in such functions as shall be determined by
Law.
A candidates' list shall not participate in elections to the Knesset
if its objects or actions, expressly or by implication, include one
of the following:
(1) negation of the existence of the State of Israel as the state of
the Jewish people;
(2) negation of the democratic character of the State;
(3) incitement to racism.
The term of office of the Knesset shall be four years from the
day on which it is elected.
The elections to the Knesset shall take place on the third
Tuesday of the month of Cheshvan in the year in which the
tenure of the outgoing Knesset ends, But if the year which
preceded that year was a leap year, the elections shall take
place on the first Tuesday of that month.
(a) The Knesset will not lengthen its period of service save by a
law adopted by a majority of eighty of the Knesset members
and in special circumstances that prevent the conduct of timely
elections; the period of extension shall not exceed the amount of
time necessitated by the said circumstances; the stated law will
state the date of the elections.
(b) Without prejudice to the provisions of Section 34, the
Knesset may by a decision of a majority of its members, bring
forward the election date determined according to Subsection
(a), provided that the new date not precede the election date for
the Knesset according to Section 9.
Election day shall be a day of rest, but transport services and
other public services shall function normally.
The results of the elections shall he published in Reshumot
within fourteen days from election day.
The Knesset shall convene for its first meeting on Monday in
the second week following the week in which the election
results are published, at four o'clock in the afternoon, or, if that
day is a festival or the eve of festival, on the workday next
following the festival.
The Knesset shall be opened by the President of the State or, in
his absence, by the oldest Knesset member present; if the
President of the State opens the Knesset, he shall hand over the
chairmanship of the meeting to the oldest Knesset member
present.
Knesset
When the oldest Knesset member has opened the first meeting
of the Knesset or taken over the chairmanship thereof, he shall
make his declaration of allegiance as a Knesset member; the
declaration shall read as follows:
"I pledge myself to bear allegiance to the State of Israel and
faithfully to discharge my mandate in the Knesset."
When the oldest Knesset member has made his declaration of
allegiance, he shall read the text once more to the members of
the Knesset, and each of them in turn shall rise and
declare:
"I pledge myself".
A Knesset member who was not present at the opening meeting
or who became a Knesset member after that meeting shall make
his declaration of allegiance at the first meeting that he attends;
the chairman of the meeting shall read to him the text of the
declaration, and the member shall rise and declare:
"I pledge myself."
Where the Chairman of the Knesset has called upon a member
of the Knesset to make his declaration of allegiance and the
member has not done so, the member shall not enjoy the rights
of a member of the Knesset so long as he has not made the
declaration.
The members of the Knesset shall have immunity; particulars
shall be prescribed by Law.
The building of the Knesset shall have immunity; particulars
shall be prescribed by Law.
The Knesset shall itself prescribe its procedure; in so far as
such procedure has not been prescribed by Law, the Knesset
shall prescribe it by rules; so long as the procedure has not
been prescribed as aforesaid, the Knesset shall follow its
accepted practice and routine.
The Knesset shall elect from among its members a Chairman
and Vice-Chairmen.
(a) Whenever the Chairman of the Knesset leaves the territory
of the State, a Vice-Chairman shall serve as Acting Chairman
until his return. (b) Whenever the Chairman of the Knesset
notifies the House Committee, or if the House Committee
decides, that for reasons of health the Chairman of the Knesset
is temporarily unable to carry out his functions, a
Vice-Chairman shall serve as Acting Chairman until the
Chairman notifies the House Committee or until the House
Committee decides that the Chairman is no longer unable to
carry out his functions.
(c) When the post of Chairman of the Knesset has fallen vacant
- because the Chairman has resigned or has died or because the
House Committee has decided that for reasons of health he is
permanently unable to carry out his functions - a
Vice-Chairman shall serve as Interim Chairman until the
Knesset elects a new Chairman.
(d) The Vice-Chairman who is to serve as Acting Chairman or
Interim Chairman of the Knesset shall be elected in that behalf
by the House Committee.
(e) During his tenure as Acting Chairman or Interim Chairman
of the Knesset, the Vice-Chairman shall serve in every capacity
assigned to the Chairman of the Knesset by law, shall carry out
every function imposed upon the Chairman of the Knesset by
law and shall exercise every power vested in the Chairman of
the Knesset by law.
(f) The provisions of this section shall also apply, mutatis
mutandis, if the circumstances envisaged in Subsection (a), (b),
or (c) with regard to the Chairman of the Knesset exist with
regard to a Vice-Chairman who is serving as Acting Chairman
or Interim Chairman.
The Knesset shall elect from among its members permanent
committees, and it may elect from among its members
committees for specific matters; the functions, powers and
procedure of the committees shall, in so far as they are not
prescribed by Law, be prescribed by the Rules.
The Knesset may appoint commissions of inquiry - either by
empowering one of the permanent committees in that behalf or
by electing a commission from among its members - to
investigate matters designated by the Knesset; the powers and
functions of a commission of inquiry shall be prescribed by the
Knesset; every commission of inquiry shall include also
representatives of party groups which do not participate in the
Government, in accordance with the relative strength of the
party groups in the Knesset.
Knesset
A member of the Government who is not a member of the
Knesset shall, as to everything relating to the Knesset, have the
same status as a member of the Government who is a member
of the Knesset, except that he shall not have the right to vote.
The Knesset shall hold debates and pass decisions whatever the
number of members present save as otherwise provided by
Law.
Save as otherwise provided by Law, the Knesset shall pass its
decisions by a majority of those participating in the voting -
those abstaining not being reckoned as participating - and the
voting procedure shall be prescribed by the Rules.
The meetings of the Knesset shall be held at its place of sitting:
Provided that in special circumstances the Chairman of the
Knesset may, in consultation with the Vice-Chairmen, convene
the Knesset elsewhere. The meetings of the Knesset shall take
place on workdays.
The Knesset shall sit in public unless it has been decided, under
such conditions and in such manner as has been prescribed by
the Rules, that it shall sit in camera.
The publication of proceedings taken and utterances made at an
open meeting is not restricted and does not entail any criminal
or civil liability: Provided that the chairman of the meeting
may, in such manner as has been prescribed by the Rules,
prohibit the publication of anything the publication of which
may, in his opinion, prejudice the security of the State.
The publication of proceedings taken and utterances made at a
closed meeting is prohibited in so far as it has not been
permitted in the manner prescribed by the Rules.
A person who publishes anything the publication of which is
prohibited under the preceding two sections is liable to the
penalties prescribed by Law.
(a) The Knesset shall hold two sessions a year; one of them
shall open within four weeks after the Feast of Tabernacles, the
other within four weeks after Independence Day; the aggregate
duration of the two sessions shall not be less than eight months.
(b) If a Knesset has been elected otherwise than at the date
prescribed in Section 9, the House Committee shall
prescribe the times of the two terms in the year in which it was
elected.
If the Knesset has not been convened within the four weeks
referred to in the preceding section, it shall convene on Monday
in the fifth week, at four o'clock in the afternoon.
In addition to the aforementioned sessions, the Chairman of the
Knesset shall convene the Knesset upon the demand of thirty
members of the Knesset or upon the demand of the
Government.
The Knesset shall not decide to dissolve itself before the
expiration of its term of office save by adopting a Law for that
purpose by a majority of the Knesset members.
The Law concerning the dissolution of the Knesset shall contain
a provision as to the date of the elections to the next Knesset.
If the Knesset decides to dissolve itself, the term of office of the
next Knesset shall run until the month of Cheshvan next
following the termination of four years from the day of its
election.
The outgoing Knesset shall continue to hold office until the
convening of the incoming Knesset.
Any enactment due to expire during the last two months of the
term of office of the outgoing Knesset or within four months
after the Knesset has decided to dissolve itself or during the
first three months of the term of office of the incoming Knesset
shall continue in force until tile expiration of the said three
months.
The members of the Knesset shall receive a remuneration as
provided by Law.
A member of the Knesset may resign his office; resignation
shall be by personal presentation of a letter of resignation by
the resigning member to the Chairman of the Knesset or, if the
member is unable to present the letter of resignation personally,
by transmission thereof in the manner prescribed by the Rules;
the letter of resignation shall be signed on the day of the
presentation or transmission.
If a member of the Knesset tenders his resignation, his
membership of the Knesset shall cease forty-eight hours after
the letter of resignation reaches the Chairman of the Knesset,
unless the member withdraws resignation before then.
If a member of the Knesset is elected or appointed to one of the
posts the holders of which are debarred from being candidates
for the Knesset, his membership of the Knesset shall cease upon
the election or appointment.
(a) The Knesset may, by resolution, remove a Knesset Member
from office if it finds that he is not worthy of his office because
he has been convicted, by final judgment, of a criminal offence
and been sentenced to a penalty of actual imprisonment for a
term of one year or more.
(b) The Knesset shall not remove a Knesset Member from
office save following a complaint brought before the House
Committee by at least ten Knesset Members and upon the
proposal of the House Committee. A resolution of the Knesset
to remove a Knesset Member from office shall not be passed
save by a two-thirds majority of the Members of the Knesset.
(c) The House Committee shall not propose, and the Knesset
shall not resolve upon, the removal of a Knesset Member from
office before he has been given an opportunity to be heard.
(a) Where a Knesset Member has been convicted of a criminal
offence, the House Committee may, upon the proposal of any
Knesset Member, suspend him from office as a Knesset
Member for the period during which the judgment is not final.
(b) Where a Knesset Member has been convicted of a criminal
offence and sentenced to imprisonment, the House Committee
may, upon the proposal of any Knesset Member, suspend him
from his office as a Knesset Member for the period during
which he is undergoing his penalty of imprisonment.
(c) The House Committee shall not pass a resolution under
this section before the Knesset Member has been given an
opportunity to be heard.
(a) If the seat of a member of the Knesset falls vacant, it shall
be filled by the candidate who, in the list of candidates which
included the name of the late member, figured immediately
after the last of the elected candidates. (b) Where a person's
membership of the Knesset has been suspended under Section
42b, his seat shall become vacant for the period of the
suspension and his place shall be taken by the candidate
referred to in Subsection (a). If he resumes his seat, the last of
the list of candidates who became a Knesset Member shall cease
to hold office, but his right to become again a Knesset Member
thereafter, by virtue of the provision of Subsection (a), shall not
be affected thereby.
Notwithstanding the provision of any other law, this Law
cannot be varied, suspended, or made subject to conditions, by
emergency regulations.
The Section 44, or this section, shall not be varied save by
a majority of eighty members of the Knesset.
The provision of Section 45 will also apply to a change
according to Section 9a (a).
The majority required under this law for the alteration
of Sections 4, 9a, 34, 44 or 45 shall be
required for decisions of the Knesset plenary at every stage of
law-making, except a debate on a motion for the Knesset
agenda. In this section, "variation" means both an express and
an implicit variation.
Israel - Basic Law: Judicature
(a) Judicial power is vested in the following courts
(1) the Supreme Court;
(2) a District Court;
(3) a Magistrate's Court;
(4) another court designated by Law as a court.
In this Law, "judge" means a judge of a court as aforesaid.
(b) Judicial power is vested also in the following:
(1) a religious court;
(2) any other court:
(3) another authority all as prescribed by Law.
(c) No court or court shall be established for a particular case.
A person vested with judicial power shall not, in judicial
matters, be subject to any authority but that of the Law.
A court shall sit in public unless otherwise provided by Law or
unless the court otherwise directs under Law.
Israel - Basic Law: Judicature - Chapter Two Judges
(a) A judge shall be appointed by the President of the State
upon election by a Judges' Election Committee.
(b) The Committee shall consist of nine members, namely, the
President of the Supreme Court, two other judges of the
Supreme Court elected by the body of judges thereof, the
Minister of Justice and another Minister designated by the
Government, two members of the Knesset elected by the
Knesset and two representatives of the Chamber of Advocates
elected by the National Council of the Chamber. The Minister
of Justice shall be the chairman of the Committee.
(c) The Committee may act even if the number of its members
has decreased, so long as it is not less than seven.
Only an Israeli national shall be appointed judge.
A person appointed judge shall make a declaration of allegiance
before the President of the State. The declaration shall be as
follows: "I pledge myself to be in allegiance to the State of
Israel and to its laws, to dispense justice fairly, not to pervert
the law and to show no favour.".
The tenure of a judge shall begin upon his declaration of
allegiance and shall end only -
(1) upon his retirement on pension; or
(2) upon his resignation; or
(3) upon his being elected or appointed to one of the positions
the holders of which are debarred from being candidates for the
Knesset; or
(4) upon a decision of the Judges' Election Committee prepared
by the chairman of the Committee or the President of the
Supreme Court and passed by a majority of at least seven
members; or
(5) upon a decision of the Court of Discipline.
A judge who has retired on pension may be appointed to the
position of a judge for such time, in such manner and on such
conditions as may be prescribed by Law.
(a) A judge shall not be permanently transferred from the
locality where he is serving to a court in another locality save
with the consent of the President of the Supreme Court or
pursuant to a decision of the Court of Discipline.
(b) A judge shall not without his consent be appointed to an
acting position at a lower court.
(a) The salaries of judges and other payments to be made to
them during or after their period of tenure or to their survivors
after their death shall be prescribed by Law or by a decision of
the Knesset or of a Knesset committee empowered by the
Knesset in that behalf.
(b) No decision shall be passed reducing the salaries of judges
only.
A judge shall not engage in an additional occupation, and shall
not carry out any public function save with the consent of the
President of the Supreme Court and the Minister of Justice.
(a) No criminal investigation shall be opened against a judge
save with the consent of the Attorney-General, and no
information shall be filed against a judge save by the
Attorney-General.
(b) A criminal charge against a judge shall not be tried save
before a District Court consisting of three judges unless the
judge has consented that the charge be tried in the ordinary
manner.
(c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to categories
of offences designated by Law.
(a) A judge shall be subject to the jurisdiction of a Court of
Discipline.
(b) A Court of Discipline shall consist of judges and judges
retired on pension appointed by the President of the Supreme
Court.
(c) Provisions as to the grounds for instituting disciplinary
proceedings, the modes of filing complaints, the composition of
the bench, the powers of the Court of Discipline and the
disciplinary measures it shall be authorised to impose shall be
prescribed by Law. The rules of procedure shall be in
accordance with Law.
Where a complaint or information is filed against a judge, the
President of the Supreme Court may suspend him from office
for such period as he may prescribe.
Israel - Basic Law: Judicature - Chapter Three The Courts
Israel - Basic Law: Judicature - Chapter Four Miscellaneous Provisions
This Law cannot be varied, suspended, or made subject to
conditions by emergency regulations.
Provisions as to the following matters shall be prescribed by
Law:
(1) the manner of electing, and duration of the tenure of, the
members of the Judges' Election Committee;
(2) qualifications for the posts of judges of the various grades;
(3) the manner of appointing the President of the Supreme
Court, the Deputy President of the Supreme Court and the
President and Vice-president of a District Court and a
Magistrate's Court;
(4) the conditions and procedures for terminating the tenure of a
judge;
(5) the manner of appointing a judge to an acting assignment at
another court and of transferring a judge, temporarily or
permanently, from the locality where he is serving to a court in
another locality;
(6) proceedings for the suspension of a judge from office, and
review of the suspension;
(7) the matters which the courts of the different grades are to
hear by a single judge or by three or more judges;
(8) the manner of designating the judge or judges who is or are
to hear a particular matter.
Provisions as to the following matters shall be prescribed under
Law:
(1) rules as to the administration of the courts, the making
thereof and responsibility for their implementing;
(2) the rules of procedure of the Judges 'Election Committee;
(3) procedure for the resignation of a judge;
(4) procedure for the appointment and the powers of the
registrar of a court;
(5) the number of judges who are to serve in the courts of the
different grades and location.
Israel - Basic Law: Israel Lands
The ownership of Israel lands, being the lands in Israel of the
State, the Development Authority or the Keren Kayemet
Le-Israel, shall not be transferred either by sale or in any other
manner.
The Section 1 shall not apply to classes of lands and classes of
transactions determined for that purpose by Law.
In this Law, "lands" means land, houses, buildings and
anything permanently fixed to land.
Israel - Agreement on the Gaza Strip and Jericho Area
The purpose of this law is to ensure compliance with the
undertaking of the Palestine Liberation Organization (hereinafter
"the PLO") concerning the restriction on the activity of the
Palestinian Authority to the areas of Gaza and Jericho in
accordance with the Agreement and to prevent activity of a
political or governmental nature or other similar activity within
the area of the State of Israel which does not accord with
respect for the sovereignty of the State of Israel by the
Palestinian Authority or the PLO, without the agreement of the
State of Israel.
"meeting" - includes a march, assembly or congress;
"the Agreement" - the Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the
Jericho Area signed at Cairo between the State of Israel and the
Palestine Liberation Organization on 4 May, 1994;
"the Palestinian Authority" and "the areas of Gaza and Jericho"
- as defined in the Emergency Regulations (Judea and Samaria
and the Gaza Strip - Jurisdiction over Offences and Legal
Assistance) 1967;
"Representative Mission" - includes any institution, office or
branch.
(a) The Palestinian Authority shall not open or operate a
representative mission, and shall not hold a meeting, in the area
of the State of Israel unless written permission for this has been
given by the State of Israel or by someone authorized by it to
do so;
(b) The Minister of Police may, by means of an order, prohibit
the opening or operation of a representative mission of the
Palestinian Authority, order its closure, or prevent the holding
of a meeting, if permission has not been obtained in accordance
with sub-paragraph (a).
(c) Orders referred to in sub-paragraph (b) shall be served,
insofar as possible, on the owner of the premises, or the
occupier, or the organizers, or whoever it seems to the Minister
of Police is responsible for the activity which is the subject of
the order; Where it is not possible to serve the order as
aforesaid, the Minister of Police shall give instructions for its
publication in a manner which he shall establish; A notice
concerning the giving of the order shall be published in the
Official Gazette.
(a) The Government may, by means of an order, prohibit the
opening or the operation of a representative mission of the
PLO, order its closure, or prevent the holding of a meeting on
behalf of the PLO or under its auspices within the area of the
State of Israel.
(b) The provisions of paragraph 3(c) above shall apply, with the
necessary changes, to an order referred to in sub-paragraph (a)
above.
The duration of a closure order issued pursuant to paragraphs 3
or 4 shall not exceed 6 months and may be extended from time
to time for an additional period which shall not exceed 6
months at any one time.
For the purpose of executing orders pursuant to paragraphs 3 or
4, the Israel Police shall have all the authorities given to it by
any law, including the authority to enter into any place, to
remove from there any person, to close the place, to disperse
any meeting, and to take any action necessary to ensure the
execution of the order and to use reasonable force for this
purpose.
For the purpose of this paragraph, "the Palestinian Authority"
includes any person acting on its behalf or under its auspices or
using its name.
Where an order has been issued pursuant to paragraph 3 or 4,
prohibiting the opening of or operation of a representative
mission, the license required for such activity shall not be
granted under any law.
(a) This Law shall enter into force on 1 January 1995.
(b) This law shall continue in force for the period of the
continuance in force of the Emergency Regulations (Judea and
Samaria and the Gaza Strip - Jurisdiction over Offences and
Legal Assistance) 1967, as extended by the Law implementing
the Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area (Judicial
Powers and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Legislative
Amendments) 1994.
Israel - Basic Law: The State Economy
(a) Taxes, compulsory loans and other compulsory payment
shall not be imposed, and their amounts shall not be varied,
save by or under Law; the same shall apply with regard to fees.
(b) Where the amounts of any taxes, compulsory loans or other
compulsory payments, or fees, payable to the Treasury are not
prescribed in the Law itself and the Law does not provide that
the amounts prescribed therefor by regulations shall require
approval by the Knesset or by a committee of the Knesset, the
amounts prescribed therefor by regulations shall require
approval - in advance or within the period prescribed by the
Law - by a decision of the Knesset or of a committee of the
Knesset empowered by it in that behalf.
Transactions in State property and the acquisition of rights and
assumption of liabilities on behalf of the State shall be effected
by a person empowered in that behalf by or under Law.
(a) (1) The State Budget shall be prescribed by Law.
(2) The Budget shall be for one year and shall set out the
expected and planned expenditure of the Government.
(b) (1) The Government shall lay the Budget Bill on the table of
the Knesset at the time prescribed by the Knesset or by a
committee of the Knesset empowered by it in that behalf but not
later than sixty days before the beginning of the financial year.
(2) The Budget Bill shall be detailed.
(3) The detailed Budget Bill of the Ministry of Defence shall
not be laid on the table of the Knesset but on the table of a joint
committee of the Finance Committee and the Foreign Affairs
and Security Committee of the Knesset.
(4) The Budget Bill shall be accompanied by an estimate of the
sources for financing the Budget.
(c) In case of necessity, the Government may bring in an
Additional Budget Bill during the financial year.
(d) Where it appears to the Government that the Budget Law
will not be adopted before the beginning of the financial year, it
may bring in an Interim Budget Bill.
(e) The Minister of Finance shall submit to the Knesset every
year a report on the implementation of the State Budget.
Particulars shall be prescribed by Law.
(a) should the Budget fail to be adopted before the beginning of
the fiscal year, the Government will be permitted to spend, on a
monthly basis the amount equalling one twelfth of the budget of
the previous year, with the addition of linkage according to the
consumer price index, published by the Central Bureau of
Statistics.
(b) Moneys according to Subsection (a) will be initially
designated for the discharging of legal obligations, contracts and
treaties; the remainder will be used by the Government
exclusively for the operation of essential services and the
activities included in the previous Budget Law.
(c) This section may only be amended by a majority of the
Knesset members.
The printing of legal tender currency notes and the minting of
legal tender coins, and the issue thereof, shall be done under
Law.
The State economy shall be subject to the inspection of the State
Comptroller. Particulars shall be prescribed by Law.
Israel - Basic Law: The Army
The Defence Army
(a) The Army is subject to the authority of the Government.
(b) The Minister in charge of the Army on behalf of the
Government is the Minister of Defence.
(a) The supreme command level in the Army is the Chief of the
General Staff.
(b) The Chief of the General Staff is subject to the authority of
the Government and subordinate to the Minister of Defence.
(c) The Chief of the General Staff shall be appointed by the
Government upon the recommendation of the Minister of
Defence.
The duty of serving in the Army and recruitment for the Army
shall be as prescribed by or by virtue of Law.
The power to issue instructions and orders binding in the Army
shall be prescribed by or by virtue of Law.
No armed force other than the Defence Army of Israel shall be
established or maintained except under Law.
Israel - Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel
Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel.
and the Supreme Court
Jerusalem is the seat of the President of the State, the Knesset,
the Government and the Supreme Court.
The Holy Places shall be protected from desecration and any
other violation and from anything likely to violate the freedom
of access of the members of the different religions to the places
sacred to them or their feelings towards those places.
(a) The Government shall provide for the development and
prosperity of Jerusalem and the well-being of its inhabitants by
allocating special funds, including a special annual grant to the
Municipality of Jerusalem (Capital City Grant) with the
approval of the Finance Committee of the Knesset.
(b) Jerusalem shall be given special priority in the activities of
the authorities of the State so as to further its development in
economic and other matters.
(c) The Government shall set up a special body or special
bodies for the implementation of this section.
Israel - Basic Law: The State Comptroller
The State Audit shall be implemented by the State Comptroller.
(a) The Comptroller will audit the economy, the property, the
finances, the obligations and the administration of the State, of
Government Ministries, of all enterprises, institutions, or
corporations of the State, of Local Authorities, and of bodies or
other institutions which were defined by law as subject to audit
by the State Comptroller.
(b) The State Comptroller shall inspect the legality, integrity,
managerial norms, efficiency and economy of the audited
bodies, as well as any other matter which he deems necessary.
A body subject to State Audit will upon request, immediately
provide the State Comptroller with information, documents,
explanations, or any other material which the Comptroller
deems necessary for audit purposes.
The State Comptroller will investigate complaints from the
public about bodies and persons, as provided by law: in this
capacity the State Comptroller shall bear the title
'Commissioner for Complaints from the Public'.
The State Comptroller shall undertake additional tasks as
provided by law.
In carrying out his functions, the State Comptroller shall be
accountable only to the Knesset and not to the Cabinet.
(a) The State Comptroller shall be chosen by the Knesset in a
secret ballot; the exact arrangements shall be set by law.
(b) The term of office of the State Comptroller shall be five
years.
Any Israeli citizen, residing in Israel, shall be eligible to serve
as State Comptroller; any additional qualifications may be
determined by law; a person who has served two consecutive
terms as State Comptroller may not be a candidate for election
to a third consecutive term.
The State Comptroller-elect shall make and sign before the
Knesset the following declaration: 'I pledge allegiance to the
State of Israel and to its laws, and will faithfully carry out my
duties as State Comptroller'.
The budget of the State Comptroller's Office shall be
determined by the Appropriations Committee of the Knesset,
upon the recommendation of the State Comptroller, and will be
published together with the State Budget.
The salary of the State Comptroller and other payments made to
him during his term of office or subsequently, or to his
survivors upon his demise, shall be determined by law or by a
Knesset Resolution or by a duly authorized committee of the
Knesset.
(a) The State Comptroller shall maintain contact with the
Knesset, as determined by law.
(b) The State Comptroller shall issue reports and opinions
within the scope of his duties and shall publish them, subject to
any restrictions determined by law.
The State Comptroller shall not be removed from office except
by a two-thirds majority of those Knesset members voting;
arrangements for impeachment shall be determined by law.
able to fulfill his functions, an acting Comptroller shall be
appointed, in a manner and for a period as determined by law.
Israel - Basic Law: Freedom of Occupation 1992
Every Israel national or resident has the right to engage in any
occupation, profession or trade; there shall be no limitation on
this right except by a Law enacted for a proper purpose and on
grounds of the general welfare.
Where a license is required to engage in an occupation, the
right to a license shall not be denied except by virtue of a Law
and for reasons of state security, public policy, public peace
and health, safety, environment or public morals.
All governmental authorities are bound to respect the freedom
of occupation of all Israel nationals and residents.
This Basic Law cannot be varied, suspended or made subject to
conditions by emergency regulations.
This Basic Law shall not be varied except by a Basic Law
passed by a majority of tile members of the Knesset.
The provisions of any enactment in force prior to the
commencement of this Basic Law which are inconsistent with
its provisions shall remain in effect no longer than two years
from the date of commencement of this Basic Law; however,
such provisions shall be construed in the spirit of the provisions
of this Basic Law.
Israel - Basic Law: Freedom of Occupation 1994
Basic human rights in Israel are based on the recognition of the
value of the human being, and the sanctity of his life and his
freedom, and these will be respected in the spirit of the
principles of the Declaration of Independence of the State of
Israel (5718-1948).
The purpose of this Basic Law is to uphold the freedom of
occupation, in order to anchor the values of the State of Israel
as a Jewish and democratic state in a Basic Law.
Every Israel national or resident has the right to engage in any
occupation, profession or trade.
There shall be no violation of the freedom of occupation except
by a law that accords with the values of the State of Israel,
enacted for a proper purpose and to an extent no greater than
required, or by such a law enacted with explicit authorization
therein.
All governmental authorities are bound to respect the freedom
of occupation of all Israel nationals and residents.
This Basic Law cannot be varied, suspended or made subject to
conditions by emergency regulations.
This Basic Law shall not be varied except by a Basic Law
passed by a majority of the members of the Knesset.
The provisions of any law which are inconsistent with the
freedom of occupation shall remain in effect, even if it does not
conform with Section 4, if it is included in a law adopted
by a majority of the Knesset with the explicit comment that it is
valid despite the provisions of this Basic Law; such a law shall
remain in effect for four years from the date of its
commencement, unless an earlier date is fixed.
The Basic Law: Freedom of Occupation (5752 - 1992) is
hereby repealed.
The provisions of any enactment in force prior to the
commencement of this Basic Law or the Basic Law repealed in
Section 9, [which are inconsistent with its provisions] shall
remain in effect no longer than two years from the date of
commencement of this Basic Law, unless repealed sooner;
however, such provisions shall be construed in the spirit of the
provisions of this Basic Law.
Israel - Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty
Basic human rights in Israel are based on the recognition of the
value of the human being, and the sanctity of his life and his
freedom, and these will be respected in the spirit of the
principles of the Declaration of Independence of the State of
Israel.
The purpose of this Basic Law is to protect human dignity
There shall be no violation of the life, body or dignity of any
person as such.
There shall be no violation of the property of a person.
All persons are entitled to protection of their life, body, and
dignity.
There shall be no deprivation or restriction of the liberty of a
person by imprisonment, arrest, extradition or by any other
manner.
(a) All persons are free to leave Israel.
(b) Every Israel national has the right of entry into Israel from
abroad.
(a) All persons have the right to privacy and to intimacy.
(b) There shall be no entry into the private premises of a person
who has not consented thereto.
(c) No search shall be conducted on the private premises or
body of a person, nor in the body or belongings of a person.
(d) There shall be no violation of the secrecy of the spoken
utterances, writings or records of a person.
There shall be no violation of rights under this Basic Law
except by a Law fitting the values of the State of Israel,
designed for a proper purpose, and to an extent no greater than
required or by such a law enacted with explicit authorization
therein.
There shall be no restriction of rights under this Basic Law held
by persons serving in the Israel Defence Forces, the Israel
Police, the Prisons Service and other security organizations of
the State, nor shall such rights be subject to conditions, except
by virtue of a Law and to an extent no greater than required by
the nature and character of the service.
This Basic Law shall not affect the validity of any law (din) in
force prior to the commencement of the Basic Law.
All governmental authorities are bound to respect the rights
under this Basic Law.
This Basic Law cannot be varied, suspended or made subject to
conditions by emergency regulations; notwithstanding, when a
state of emergency exists, by virtue of a declaration under
Section 9 of the Law and Administration Ordinance,
5708-1948, emergency regulations may be enacted by virtue of
said section to deny or restrict rights under this Basic Law,
provided the denial or restriction shall be for a proper purpose
and for a period and extent no greater than required.