Amendments to Israel’s election law, intended to discourage small, “splinter” parties from crowding the election lists in the forthcoming, general national balloting, were introduced last night when the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, resumed its sessions.
The Knesset reconvened after its six-week Passover vacation, and is expected to last until June 28, when the members will disperse to devote full time to electioneering. The elections are scheduled for August 15.
The election law amendment would require new parties to deposit 5, 000 Israeli pounds ($2, 800) before they could file an election list. Should their lists be voided by the Elections Board, for failure to muster a minimum of one percent of the total electorate, such parties would forfeit one-fifth of their deposit.
President Izhak Ben-Zvi attended the opening session of Parliament. Speaker Kaddish Luz opened the proceedings with a eulogy of the late Dr. Naphtali Peretz, former member of the Knesset and former Minister of Social Welfare and ex-Minister of Agriculture. Mr. Luz also warmly welcomed a six-man delegation of members of the British Parliament who are here for an official, nine-day visit as guests of the Knesset.
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