Knesset Speaker Dov Shilansky:

Members of the Knesset, today is the Knesset’s birthday.

When the media presents the image of the Knesset to the people, the image is not flattering. The media, and not only in our country, reports mostly on unusual events, so the mundane and hard work at the committees and plenum is being shortchanged. We have good and hard-working Knesset members, and it is a pity that irregular events and unparliamentarily behavior of the few project on all of the Knesset.

Members of the Knesset proposed bills this year that concern social rights, protection of distressed populations, and improving the quality of life in this country, and it is a pity that their actions did not receive appropriate reverberation.

I appeal to the Members of the Knesset: This year – an election year – will not be easy. It is natural to have disagreement between parties, and fierce debate will most probably be held. I ask of you, let us all try and keep our discussion civilized and not drift toward insults, unnecessary arguments and inappropriate descriptions.

An issue that was recently raised concerned the repeated appeals to the High Court of Justice. As for me, as Speaker of the Knesset and a former attorney, I believe in the institute of the High Court of Justice and I see great importance in resolution 85/73 that was given on August 1st 1985, and I quote: “The High Court of Justice has an authority of judicial review over inter-parliamentary procedures… The question of judgment is not an easy one… On the one hand is the principle of the rule of law, including the rule of law over the legislator… And on the other hand stands the high status of the Knesset, which is a political body; it is the natural will of the judicial branch to allow the state’s house of representatives to conduct its internal affairs without judicial interference… In fact its is the respect that the judges pay to the house of representatives that instructs them to see to it that this body will also work under the framework defined by law… A separation of powers means mutual balancing and control between the different authorities.”

Another aspect of the Supreme Court’s interference with the Knesset’s legislation is evident in the government bill, Basic Law: Legislation, which was presented before the Knesset last week. It deals with the authority of the Supreme Court, in its capacity as a constitutional court, to dismiss a basic law that does not follow certain criteria. It also suggests that the criticism of the constitutional court be expanded to intervene when a law contradicts a principle of the fundamental principles of the State of Israel, and if it is – it is to be disqualified.

I am aware that there are those among the Knesset members who disagree with the intervention of the Supreme Court in the Knesset’s work. There is room for a thorough clarification of that matter within the Knesset.

Members of the Knesset, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Knesset employees and the Knesset Guard, who work with dedication and persistence, and to the parliamentary reporters who accompany us in our work. I wish us all productive work this year.

I hope that this Knesset, whatever tenure it will have, will be prudent in its service to the people and the state, as it enlightens all homes and works to enhance social justice, to bring blossom to the wilderness, and to bring peace closer. Most importantly, let us remember that we are all human beings, a part of the people and not superior to them, servants of the people and not their masters, and then – our Heavenly Father will give blessing and success in all that we do.

Members of the Knesset, it is a pleasant duty for me to also thank the Nature and National Parks Protection Authority, who provided the Knesset with decorations on its holiday, and to the Fruit Council, which brought its produce to us.