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Knesset winter session opens with challenging agenda ahead
The opening of the Knesset’s winter session took place yesterday as political leaders looked towards the major issues which are likely to dominate during the coming months.
Speeches were delivered by Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and leader of the opposition Shelly Yachimovich. Although the nuclear threat posed by Iran was addressed from the podium, leaders also focused on a number of significant domestic issues which are set to command the Knesset’s attention.
Netanyahu said that his legislative focus would be placed on three areas – an electoral reform bill which would raise the electoral threshold, reform of the military draft to enlist ultra-Orthodox students and the requirement for a referendum on relinquishing land as part of any future peace deal. Right-wing figures in Netanyahu’s Likud Party have vocally opposed making territorial concessions. Meanwhile, the other two bills are likely to cause tensions among coalition members. Some have expressed opposition to the impact of increasing the electoral threshold on smaller parties, while Yesh Atid and Jewish Home disagree over the details of drafting ultra-Orthodox students.
Netanyahu commented “[These bills] must be passed because they are important to the people of Israel,” and pledged “I will try to reach an agreement with the party heads in the coalition” to agree on the legislation.
Meanwhile, Yair Lapid, the leader of Yesh Atid, Netanyahu’s largest coalition partner said yesterday that his party would focus its legislative agenda on matters of religion and state, highlighting public transportation on the Jewish Sabbath and civil marriage, including gay marriage as priorities.
Internal party politics are also likely to grab upcoming headlines. Incumbent Shelly Yachimovich and senior MK Isaac Herzog will contest the Labour Party leadership next month. There is also strong speculation that Likud and Yisrael Beitenu will end their partnership which saw the two parties run together in January’s election.