The law was passed in the first reading by a majority of 64 against 38 • Now deputy ministers can also temporarily resign from the Knesset in favor of about 12 new MKs • Expected cost: NIS 20 million

Before midnight (Monday), the Knesset plenum approved, in its first reading, the Knesset Basic Bill, known as Norwegian law, which allows for the cessation of membership in the Knesset by a minister serving as a minister or deputy minister. The law was passed by a majority of 64 Knesset members who voted against, compared to 38 Knesset members who voted against and is now expected to pass to the Constitution and Justice Law Committee. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz did not attend the Knesset plenary at the time of the vote.

Photo: Reuters

The bill seeks to enshrine, in certain directives, the temporary provision enacted in the Knesset that allows the minister or deputy minister to resign from the Knesset for his term in the executive branch and return to serve in the Knesset if he ceases to serve in the executive branch.

In practice, this means that even the deputy ministers - and not only ministers, as was customary today - can temporarily resign from the Knesset so that their members on the list will replace them in the Mishkan. The ministers and deputy ministers will - despite their resignation - maintain the budget for the Knesset voter, which costs tens of thousands of shekels a year. As a result of the law, about 12 new Knesset members are expected to enter the Mishkan, and its total cost could reach about NIS 20 million.

The explanation for the proposal reads: "The purpose of this amendment is to allow the Knesset Member or Deputy Minister to quit his Knesset membership for the period in which he is serving in the executive branch, first and foremost to ensure that the coalition factions have enough Knesset members who can focus on parliamentary work. The Knesset's work and the public's representation in the Knesset and its committees, as well as allowing a considerable number of ministers and deputy ministers to devote their work to the executive branch. "

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It is further stated in the proposal: "It is therefore proposed that in each faction they may terminate their tenure between one Knesset member and five Knesset members as a result of the size of the faction and the number of Knesset members with the faction who are not ministers or deputy ministers. It is also proposed to establish a mechanism for the immediate return and without condition to the Knesset. The Knesset member whose membership was terminated due to his appointment as Minister or Deputy Minister, immediately upon termination of office in the Executive Authority during the term of the Knesset in which he was elected.

Among the supporters of the bill is former Justice Minister MK Ayelet Shaked on her right, who said: "In Norwegian law, we supported it in the previous Knesset, it is good that ministers resign and enter more Knesset members because more work is needed. But the truth is, this bloated government has a lot of unnecessary offices. "

Conflict between Gantz and Mickey Levy // Photo: Knesset channel

On the other hand, there are voices that strongly criticize the bill passed this evening on first reading. MK Hiba Yazbak from the Commonwealth said: "The purpose of the law is to introduce new Knesset members instead of ministers. The law has nothing to do with democracy. The 'reinforcements' entering the Knesset will support all government steps.

MK Tamar Zandberg of Meretz attacked Norwegian law by saying: "This Knesset is only busy with itself. Only in the offices, jobs, ministers, and deputy ministers that you entered no longer remained. Blue and white need the Norwegian as breathable air simply because otherwise they have no one to work here so they sold the Knesset to Likud. That's the real deal - annexation for Norwegian law. You are passing a Norwegian law today to wake up with South African law, with apartheid "