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Knesset

The Knesset is the legislative branch of the Israeli government. Its name, whose Hebrew translation means literally 'the gathering' or 'the assembly, is a derivative of the ancient Great Assembly,' the gathering of 120 sages that governed the Jewish people between the end of the Biblical prophets until 200 B.C. The Knesset is the national legislature of the State of Israel and passes all of the country's laws, in addition to electing the president, approving the cabinet and supervising governmental work. The Knesset functions as the unicameral national legislature in Israel in a parliamentary manner, with elections forming members of Knesset (MKs) held at least every fourth year. Knesset history The Knesset first convened on February 14th, 1949, taking over for transitional governments that had existed since Israel declared independence on May 14th, 1948, and met in the Jewish Agency building in Jerusalem. Between March and December of that year the legislature was moved to Tel Aviv, the only period the Knesset was not seated in Jerusalem. Following a four-month return to the Jewish Agency building, the Knesset moved to King George Street in the city center, where it remained until the current complex was opened in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Givat Ram, August 31st, 1966. The Knesset complex was funded by British Liberal politician James de Rothschild and has underwent two major additions, completed in 1992 and 2007. Knesset functions The Knesset sets the laws of the State of Israel and oversees governmental works via a series of 12 permanent committees, which include ones focused on foreign affairs and defense, education and culture, economics and the status of women, among others. Special committees can also be formed when necessity arises, such as the central elections committee and the public petitions committee, among others. The Knesset, as a parliamentary system, is presided over by the Speaker of Knesset and passes laws based off a simple majority of the 120-member voting bloc. Israel's prime minister, as head of the ruling party, is determined by the party best able to form a coalition comprised of at the minimum a simple majority. Knesset seats are allocated based on proportional representation using the D'Hondt method and parties are admitted to Knesset when passing an election threshold of 3.25 percent. Members of Knesset have the ability to raise a vote of no confidence in the government or in government ministers, a move that was only once successful in Knesset's history. Likewise, in order for a prime minister to be named, the candidate must receive a vote of confidence on the Knesset floor before taking office. Knesset assemblies There have been 20 assemblies of Knesset in Israel's history, each referred to by its election number. The First Knesset, under the auspices of prime minister David Ben-Gurion, was in session from 1949 until 1951. Elections occurred by and large every fourth year, unless elections were called early. However, no Knesset term lasted fewer than three years, except for the 19th Knesset, which lasted from 2013 until 2015.

Knesset election dynamics largely unchanged despite Shas, UTJ leaving gov't, N12 poll finds

Israel's Channel 12 conducted a poll on general election scenarios following the Sephardi-haredi Shas Party's Wednesday announcement that they are leaving the coalition.

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir at a Knesset debate, July 14, 2025; illustrative.
Head of opposition and head of the Yesh Atid party MK Yair Lapid leads a faction meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on June 30, 2025.

Lapid calls Netanyahu's gov't 'illegitimate' following Shas's exit from coalition

Israeli officials react to Shas's decision to exit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Head of Shas party Arye Deri, June 8, 2025.

Shas spiritual leaders order party members to quit government

Shas's leaders directed MKs not to topple the government, though their decision shrinks Netanyahu's coalition to 29 MKs.

|ByELIAV BREUER, JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Ultra orthodox jews at the headquarters of United Torah Judaism list for the Beit Shemesh municipality, during the Municipal Elections, in Beit Shemesh, February 27, 2024.

Does UTJ’s departure mean that Israel is heading to an election? - analysis

The short answer is probably yes, but not immediately.

|ByELIAV BREUER

Edelstein to haredim: Now is not time to topple government

Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chair Yuli Edelstein called on haredi politicians to exhibit “national responsibility.”

JULY 15, 2025ByELIAV BREUER
Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein leads a Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on May 8, 2025.

Rabbis and Netanyahu’s draft‑exemption monster rips at Israel’s coalition - comment

After years of delay tactics and political bartering, the ultra‑Orthodox draft crisis has burst its cage, threatening to topple the government amid war.

JULY 15, 2025ByZVIKA KLEIN
View of a United Torah Judaism party meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on June 9, 2025.

Netanyahu is in a tight spot after UTJ exits the gov't - what happens next? - explainer

The move by the six United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party members leaves Netanyahu's nationalist-religious government extremely vulnerable, with just a one-seat majority in the Knesset.

JULY 15, 2025ByREUTERS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to his office at the Knesset, Israel's parliament in Jerusalem on July 14, 2025.

Odeh impeachment fails as haredi party, opposition MKs abstain

The upcoming vote to impeach MK Ayman Odeh is unlikely to receive a majority vote after the haredi United Torah Judaism party announced its intention to abstain.

JULY 14, 2025ByELIAV BREUER
Hadash-Ta'al leader Ayman Odeh attends a protest in his support, outside the Knesset in Jerusalem, June 30, 2025.

United Torah Judaism announces decision to quit gov't, coalition

The Sephardi haredi party Shas remained mum on Monday about whether or not it would join UTJ.

JULY 14, 2025ByELIAV BREUER, JERUSALEM POST STAFF
MK Moshe Gafni speaks in the Knesset plenum, in Jerusalem, March 25, 2025

Arye Deri denies telling Shas MKs to prepare to leave gov't coalition in coming days

Israel's public broadcaster KAN News reported the claim earlier on Sunday evening, but it was later denied by a spokesperson from Deri's office.

JULY 13, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Shas party leader MK Arye Deri after a meeting on the haredi draft bill in Jerusalem, June 4, 2025.

Ayman Odeh to be impeached? Deciding vote on Hadash-Ta’al chairman scheduled for Monday

Haredi MKs from UTJ said they would decide on their vote in a party meeting. Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid said that Odeh "clearly crossed a line."

JULY 13, 2025ByELIAV BREUER
MK Ayman Odeh attends a faction meeting, at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, June 30, 2025

Lapid's Yesh Atid initiates process to dissolve Knesset, send Israel to elections

The party will need the signatures of at least 61 MKs in order to file a request to Knesset Speaker MK Amir Ohana to approve the new proposal.

JULY 13, 2025ByELIAV BREUER
Head of opposition and head of the Yesh Atid party MK Yair Lapid leads a faction meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on June 30, 2025.

Ministers advance bill to allow Israeli gov't sweeping power to fire top public service officials

The proposal will now head to the Knesset for preliminary voting, but is unlikely to proceed prior to the approximately three-month summer recess set to begin on July 27.

JULY 13, 2025ByELIAV BREUER
Justice Minister Yariv Levin at a Knesset committee meeting in Jerusalem. January 21, 2025.

High Court rejects petition, A-G summons set for Monday as dismissal efforts ramp up

Ministers leading the ministerial committee set to convene tomorrow called the situation where the government’s own legal representative opposition “absurd.” 

JULY 13, 2025BySARAH BEN-NUN
ATTORNEY-GENERAL Gali Baharav-Miara. Last week, the A-G and her office issued a sharply critical advisory opinion on a government decision to change the traditional firing process of the attorney-general, one of many back-and-forths Baharav-Miara has had with the government.

Knesset's new law on religious courts and what it means for democracy - opinion

The bill in question would further expand their authority, allowing rabbinical courts and Sharia courts to rule as arbitrators on civil matters.

JULY 12, 2025ByANAT THON ASHKENAZY
Knesset constitution, Law and Justice Committee Chairman Simcha Rothman (standing) speaks to Justice Minister Yariv Levin in the Knesset plenum.