Miri Regev (Likud Beiteinu) plans to introduce another piece of legislation to the Knesset on Sunday, according to Yediot Ahronot, which would limit the ability of the Prime Minister to carry out peace negotiations with the Palestinians. The proposed legislation would require prior consent of an absolute majority of Knesset members (61) in order to make concessions regarding Jerusalem or the status of Palestinian refugee claimants.
The bill reads, “Negotiations on these issues, which are launched without approval from the Knesset, are non-binding. In such an event, government bodies will not be committed to the outcome (of these negotiations), nor will the talks or their outcome be valid for the State of Israel, the government of Israel or other authorities in the State of Israel.”
Regev claims the proposal is based on an earlier draft from Communications Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud Beiteinu), which was never presented in the previous Knesset.
“The aim is to reach a situation in which there cannot be negotiations on drastic concessions that adversely impact on the Jewish identity of the state and exacerbate the rift that exists in Israeli society, without the approval of a majority in Israel’s parliament,” Regev says. “Such actions are forbidden, anti-democratic, and, according to this proposed bill, illegal. Thus, any negotiations held without Knesset approval would be invalid.”
Negotiations brokered by US Secretary of State have been battered by both sides of the Knesset. Regev’s previous proposal, to annex the Jordan Valley, was approved last week by the Ministerial Legislative Committee, but was immediately contested by MKs Tzipi Livni (Hatnua), Yair Lapid and Yaakov Peri (Yesh Atid). Then, in a counter-proposal, MK Hilik Bar (Labor) put forth a bill which would prevent Israel from annexing any land outside the framework of a final status agreement. Another bill, proposed by MK Merav Michaeli and outlawing construction in Judea and Samaria, was voted down by the Ministerial Legislative Committee. Meanwhile, back in December, MK Yaakov Litzman (UTJ) presented a bill similar to Regev’s, which demanded a two-thirds majority to decide Jerusalem’s fate. It passed the Ministerial Legislative Committee, but was voted down in plenum, with Likud Beiteinu and Bayit Yehudi absenting themselves.
Tensions in the Knesset seem to be running high on the topic. MK Michal Rozin (Meretz) suggested that “Miri Regev proposed the bill she really wants, outlawing any peace treaty or diplomatic agreement between Israel and the Palestinians that she didn’t sign herself.”
“The Prime Minister is being run by the most extremist members of his coalition, who make even [Foreign Minister Avigdor] Lieberman (Likud Beiteinu) look like a Geneva Accord supporter, and we are on the way to destruction if we don’t get up and stop him. We cannot let them drag us into the next cycle of violence,” Rozin added.
Regev took to name-calling on Army Radio in explaining her position, saying Tuesday, “I don’t trust the people running the negotiations or [Justice Minister] Tzipi Livni the crybaby who hasn’t brought any results. I don’t even know if the Prime Minister trusts her…She doesn’t decide policy.”
