The Knesset and the Executive Branch

The Knesset in the Government System

Powers and Functions of the Knesset

Representational Elections

Legislation

Constitution

Basic Laws

The Knesset as an Elective Body

The Knesset and the Judiciary

The Knesset and the Executive Branch (The Government)

One of the functions of the Knesset is to supervise the government (ministerial cabinet), most of whose ministers and deputy ministers are elected Knesset members. The Knesset fulfills its supervisory role in various ways: Every law that the government wants to enact must pass the Knesset's approval, including the budget and taxation laws. The Knesset may also demand that the government provide it with information, whether within the framework of its Permanent Committees, sub-committees, and parliamentary inquiry committees, or in the plenum - by means of debates, motions for the agenda, or parliamentary questions.

An additional means of supervision are the reports of the State Comptroller, which are presented to the Knesset by means of the State Control Committee. Following its deliberations on the report, the committee submits its conclusions and proposals to the Knesset plenum, which debates and approves them. Some view the State Comptroller as the Knesset's "arm".