Monday, October 11, 2010

J’lem-Golan land referendum bill set to advance


GIL HOFFMAN AND REBECCA ANNA STOIL
10/11/2010

Knesset reconvenes after three-month recess; will be divided on matters of religion and state during new session.

A bill requiring a national referendum before relinquishing land in Jerusalem and the Golan Heights is expected to pass easily in a special meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Legislation on Monday, laying the groundwork for it to become law within weeks.

The bill, submitted by Knesset House Committee chairman Yariv Levin (Likud), had already passed its first reading in the Knesset and Levin’s committee without the support of the Prime Minister’s Office. Once it passes the ministerial committee, it will have the government’s support and would then be able to easily pass its final readings.

The legislation would require a national referendum in any instance in which Israel agreed in diplomatic talks to hand over areas that have been annexed (i.e., Jerusalem beyond the Green Line) or to which Israeli law has been extended (i.e., the Golan Heights).

According to the bill, any such deal must be approved by the Knesset and then put to a national referendum within 180 days. The bill tasks the Central Elections Committee with running any referendum, and would declare any referendum day to be equivalent to an election day.

The format of the referendum question will be phrased, simply: “Are you in favor of or opposed to the agreement approved by the Knesset?” Another bill will be submitted this week by MK Ophir Akunis (Likud) that would require a referendum on any deal with the Palestinian Authority; Akunis will ask the House Committee to expedite the legislation.

The Knesset, which returns Monday from a three-month recess, will also be divided on matters of religion and state during the new session, as Shas and United Torah Judaism intend to submit several controversial bills..

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