Decorations in the Knesset in honor of Tu Bishvat, 2007

Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik:

My fellow Members of the Knesset, Mr. Prime Minister, Head of the Opposition, you are requested to be seated. Member of the Knesset Amnon Cohen, please be seated.

My fellow Members of the Knesset, I intend to install a special committee, to be headed by MK Ruhama Avraham – the House Committee will lead this issue – for formulating recommendations and ideas for determining the vision of the house of legislators, and to provide proper tools to the Knesset members, in their roles as legislators and supervisors over the government’s actions. Members of this committee will represent all parliamentary groups of the house and will include members of the Ethics Committee, chaired by Chaim Oron. We will do all that is necessary, through amendments in legislation, amendments to the Knesset Rules of Procedure, determining conduct, and so on.

My fellow Members of the Knesset, it is the Knesset’s birthday. In honor of the birth of the Constituent Assembly, Mr. Prime Minister, in Shvat 1949, Nathan Alterman wrote the poem “With the First Knesset”. This is how Alterman foresaw, 58 years ago, the Knesset’s future:

“It will be again a day of spring,
A day of changes and wonders.
A breath of mint will be sensed in the air.
And delegates, while skipping through puddles,
Will go,
My friends,
To the parliament.

They will be seated, as accepted, and listen to the speech
(Sitting numbered one-thousand-and-seven)...
Some will doze off for several moments,
Some
Will simply sleep...

...

And then from an opening window, a sparrow
Will enter the Knesset’s hall,
Dance for a while on the Speaker’s mallet,
And nearly overturn the inkstand...

And as it flies it will be followed by the looks of the delegates
And they will know: She is an invited-delegate
Coming from strong winds that accompanied that same evening in Shevat
In which you were born, Constituent Assembly.”

My fellow Members of the Knesset, there is great symbolism in the fact that the Knesset celebrates its birthday on the 15th of Shvat. In the book of Leviticus, the people of Israel are commanded “And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food.” With the establishment of the State of Israel, the generation who lived in 1948 planted the seeds of the Israeli democracy and established a parliament that is elected in free elections. The plant was entrenched and grew to become a wide and tall tree, enrooted well in our national lives.

Today, on the Knesset’s holiday, we have decided to look at ourselves and ask how that tree functions. Are its roots deep, its branches straight, and how can we embellish its fruits on this day of holiday? I have asked the parliamentary groups and the committees to look into our functioning. Is it possible for us to improve the work of the Knesset?

My fellow Members of the Knesset, the independence and might of the legislative branch are an essential goal in the construction of a stable democratic rule that serves appropriately the citizens of the state and protects human rights. The democratic principles compel an active and legislating branch. The principle of majority rule demands that the voices of the people’s representatives be heard and translated into actions, through supreme parliamentary tools. The principle of the separation of powers obligates that the legislative branch operate effective means of supervision over the executive branch. The principle of the rule of law instructs that the legislative branch do its legislative work efficiently and in a suitable manner.

The Knesset has a special status among the branches of the Israeli regime. It is the only one of the three that absorbs its power directly from the people, and therefore it is its faithful representative.

MK Shlomo Benizri speaks at the Knesset in honor of the Knesset's fifty-eighth birthday, 2007

My fellow members of the legislative branch, alongside the many authorities given to us we are bestowed with obligations, and we carry a heavy responsibility. We are obligated to set rules that match the values of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, and we are obligated to oversee the government. Is the Knesset supervising the government properly? Does the Knesset hold a thorough and in-depth discussion during the process of legislation? Can we say full-heartedly that we fulfill our position to the best of our ability? For if the answer is no, then we betray the democratic mission we carry.

Members of the Knesset, among the three branches, let us be honest, the legislative branch is the weakest. The Knesset is weak and not sufficiently independent. Some of the Knesset’s work procedures were set five decades ago, and the Knesset Rules of Procedure were set 40 years ago. The country has changed tremendously since; the politics and media have changed; the economy has changed; two generations have passed.

It is time to hold a thorough self-examination. It is time to inspect the character of the Knesset’s work and see if it fits the world we live in.

Let us not point the blame at the executive and judicial branches. A branch does not strengthen itself by attacking another branch. The separation of power determines that no branch has absolute power. Each one exists next to the others, and they all serve as a constraint for one another. When a branch is weakened, the democratic principle is hurt.

In my role as Speaker of the Knesset I am bothered by the empty plenum – yes, it is also empty today; I am bothered that the discussion is sometimes not thorough and comprehensive; I am bothered by the Knesset’s limited ability to supervise over the government’s actions; I am bothered by the minuscule involvement of Knesset members in the committees’ meetings; I am bothered that the Knesset committees do not have the ability to know well enough what is done in government offices; I am bothered that the committees are lacking information and professional tools to better help them supervise properly over the government and know its offices; I am bothered by the unreasonable increase in private members’ bills; I am bothered that we do not check and see if the bills we pass are being enforced adequately. When did we last check how a bill we legislated was implemented by those that are in-charge of it?

In my role as Speaker of the Knesset, I am bothered that the citizens of the State of Israel are not involved enough in the Knesset’s work and are not aware of the hard work being devoted here daily; I am bothered that the public debate in Israel is taking place far away from the Knesset, in alternative panels that arise often: Herzliya Conference, Sderot Conference, Caesarea Conference.

My fellow Members of the Knesset, the reason for the Knesset’s weakening lies with the Knesset itself. We have chosen to be weak. That is our problem. We have had and will obviously continue to have arguments in the Knesset. There is no wrong in that; on the contrary, I believe the argument is essential; it is the soul of the democracy. A state with no argument is not a free state, nor a democratic state.

Indeed, the discussion in the Knesset is the chance for each one of us to influence and persuade, but we are obligated not to make these arguments sterile. We need to provide the Knesset with effective tools that will allow holding an effective rule, encouraging the Knesset members to weigh true considerations, and first and foremost give each one of them the tools to hold respectable supervision over the government’s actions.

My fellow Members of the Knesset, I believe in this whole-heartedly. We are blessed with excellent Knesset members who devote great energy to the parliamentary work. In spite of all the slanders, I stand on my view that the Seventeenth Knesset is one of the best we have had, perhaps the best.

The work procedures are set in the Knesset. The power to supervise over the government is also in the hands of the Knesset. Therefore, here in this house lies the opportunity to change. The Knesset is the one to set the rules. It can improve itself, become an effective, dynamic, more organized body that guarantees the worthy existence of democracy in Israel. This is to what we need to aspire, and by doing so we will fulfill our public mission.

We must create an incentive that encourages good and productive parliamentary work. There is a need to make more room in a Knesset member’s agenda for parliamentary work. The work procedures and parliamentary tools need to be designed so that they will become fruitful in the eyes of the Knesset member. We must not be ashamed to admit it: We need to design the parliamentary tools so that they will be worthy for the Knesset member, both politically and publicly. It is a positive incentive for the strenuous work of a Knesset member. A positive incentive for the work of work of a Knesset member will be that the Knesset’s work be better covered in the media; a positive incentive will be in that the Knesset set the public agenda, and especially, a positive incentive for active participation by a Knesset member will be by providing him with more ability to influence. A Member of the Knesset will then have a better and stronger ability to oversee the government, and he will have more efficient tools to carry out legislative work.

My suggestions are detailed in the booklet, some of which I have gathered from you. Almost nothing in it is new. The booklet was presented before the Knesset. I will shortly note the suggestions.

I suggest that every government minister will report four times a year, each quarter, at times determined by law, before the Knesset committee that supervises over his office, and report to it on the actions of the office. I was also a minister, and I very much wanted to appear before the committee. I am positive that this is not a step against the ministers; I am positive that it is in their favor. The minister will detail before the committee his short and long-term plans, describe the budgetary execution of his office, and report on gaps between planning and implementation.

I suggest that the relevant Knesset committees be involved in the ongoing supervision over budget administration, throughout the fiscal year. The Knesset committees will have the authority to approve the transfer of funds from one clause to another.

I suggest that there should be a limit to the number of committees in which each Knesset member can participate; I suggest that appointments to several high official positions in the public service, according to the Knesset’s determination, will require a hearing before the relevant Knesset committee. I suggest that we provide the Knesset committees with the authority to summon and obligate public officials and relevant position-holders to appear before them. What had happened with the bank directors will not repeat itself. I suggest that the professional staff of the committees be reinforced. Each committee will be assigned with an economist that will provide professional assistance and close inspection over the supervised office.

I suggest that a budgetary supervision unit be established in the Knesset and allow Members of the Knesset to be better acquainted with the state budget, both for the annual budgetary legislation and for ongoing inspection on the government’s budgetary implementation.

There is no reason – I am certain, Finance Minister, that you agree with me – that the computers of the budget unit at the Finance Ministry be closed before the Knesset.

I suggest that the parliamentary questions be transferred from the Knesset plenum to the Knesset committees, saving precious time in the plenum that will be devoted to deeper discussion on matters on the public agenda, and the committees will provide professional handling of the parliamentary questions.

I suggest prohibiting the holding of Knesset committee meetings and parliamentary group meetings at the same time as plenum sittings.

I also suggest that the number of private members’ bills for each Knesset member be limited each session.

Alongside the strengthening of the Knesset, it is obligated to restrain itself through self-control on its parliamentary and administrative issues. The Knesset will intensify its self-inspection, and by doing so it will serve as a model of keeping the values it requires from the other branches.

I suggest accepting extensive parts of the report written by the Committee for Rules of Ethics – established by MK Ruby Rivlin – that was recently presented before the Knesset.

I suggest to anchor in legislation the status of the Knesset’s internal auditor and determine that his reports be accessible to the public and the public’s criticism. We have nothing to hide.

I suggest opening the Knesset committees’ discussion to the public, broadcast them over the internet, and allow a more active involvement of citizens from their homes – as proposed by MK Michael Eitan – online and in real time: Citizens will be able to send their questions to the committees and to the ministers attending them.

My fellow Members of the Knesset, empowering the Knesset is not empowerment for the sake of empowerment. It is not a benefit being given to you. It is precisely the opposite – I would like to empower the Knesset so that we can work harder.

Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Curt, Justice Aharon Barak, said once that a strong government requires a strong Knesset. I believe in that.

The empowerment and enhancement of the Knesset will also bring with it better action on behalf of the government. Good supervision – on any public body – allows for better and more effective work. Everyone will gain from it: The Knesset, the government, and most importantly – the citizen. The citizen sent us to this place so that we will take care of him, each one according to his perception, and we must stand up to this commitment. I believe that a more dominant Knesset will eventually be able to work better for the citizen, and for the State of Israel.

My fellow Members of the Knesset, there is tension between the authorities, especially these days. The tension is an expression of the checks and balances of democracy. Let us think to ourselves, do the constraints work properly, and are the balances suitably adjusted? It is best that I will not say out loud what you say in my room. As I have said, there is no need to be panicked by tension between the authorities. I am not held back by the tension between the Knesset and other authorities, but I fear from the lack of attentiveness between the authorities and the feeling that one authority is taking over the other. My fellow Members of the Knesset, there is no vacuum. I am faithful to the perception that a strong parliament is a solid expression of the independent people in their sovereign state.

The task is upon us all. On this matter there is no right and no left, no religious and no secular, no Jews and no Arabs, no parties and no streams. We have no excuses. This task is upon us all. We are all united around a single cause: To improve the functioning of the Knesset for it to better serve the citizens. The Knesset’s problems are the problems of each of you, each of us, and each one of us must deal with them and assist me in solving them. I often meet Knesset members, new and veteran, who come to my chamber and express their frustration, the lack of tools to work with, and that they do not reach their potential. They are right. It is time for amendments. Many ideas were gathered here. I am convinced that by the end of the day, after we gather all the ideas and speeches, and after I present you with all the proposals, we will establish the committee that I mentioned at the beginning of my speech.

My fellow Members of the Knesset, with your permission I would like to say: I truly believe in you, in the powers that lie in this Knesset. I believe with all my heart that the Seventeenth Knesset can be remembered as the Knesset with the courage to carry out a reform and better improve the parliamentary functioning for many years to come. We will devote ourselves to it and carry out prayers for our country and our people.