haknesset

Haknesset, transliterated HaKnesset, refers to the Knesset, the unicameral national legislature of Israel. It comprises 120 members elected for four-year terms, though elections may be called earlier. Members are chosen through nationwide party-list proportional representation with a threshold that has stood at 3.25% since 2014.

The Knesset enacts laws, approves the state budget, and exercises oversight of the government. It elects the President of Israel, who serves a seven-year term and performs largely ceremonial duties. The government remains in office only while it retains the Knesset’s confidence, and a vote of no confidence can lead to the formation of a new government or its dissolution. Following elections, the president designates a party leader to attempt to form a government who must win a majority in the Knesset.

The Knesset operates through a plenary chamber and a system of committees, including the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee. The Speaker of the Knesset presides over sessions and oversees procedures, while committee chairs guide detailed examination of proposed legislation and government policy.

Location and building: The Knesset meets in the Knesset Building in the Givat Ram district of Jerusalem. The building, associated with Israel’s early statehood, houses the legislature, its staff, and various parliamentary activities, including plenary sessions and committee meetings.