| 9.2.1982
| The Government made an announcement regarding the United Nations’ resolution that “Israel is not a peace seeking country.” |
| 2.3.1982
| A no-confidence motion was presented by the Tehiya faction, due to the “Erection of barricades in Yamit while desecrating the Shabbat, and the need to halt the withdrawal from Sinai.” |
| 4.3.1982
| Francois Mitterand, President of France, spoke at the plenum in a special sitting. |
| 16.3.1982
| On the tenth anniversary of the passing of MK Moshe Sneh, a motion for the agenda was raised by MK Yair Tsaban regarding the “Foundations of the Israeli Parliamentary system.” |
| 31.3.1982
| The Sinai Evacuees’ Compensations Law was passed. |
| 21.4.1982
| IDF forces began the evacuation of Yamit settlement.
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| 12.5.1982
| A motion for the agenda was presented by MK Michael Bar-Zohar on the Dead Sea Canal; a motion for the agenda was presented by MK Gad Yaacobi on the termination of El Al flights on Shabbat.
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| 5.6.1982
| The Government decided to begin Operation Peace of the Galilee, designated to “insure that all settlements in the Galilee are out of range from enemy fire.” |
| 7.6.1982
| The Knesset sent get-well wishes to the Israeli Ambassador in London, Shlomo Argov who was shot by a terrorist, and sent words of encouragement to the IDF on its actions in Lebanon. |
| 29.6.1982
| Minister of Defense Ariel Sharon reported, on behalf of the Government, on the status of Operation Peace of the Galilee. |
| 18.8.1982
| The Compulsory Education Law was amended, setting compulsory education until the 10th grade, while public education in all 12 grades is free. |
| 8.9.1982
| Defense Minister Ariel Sharon made an additional announcement on the status of Operation Peace of the Galilee. |
| 22.9.1982
| A motion for the agenda was raised by MK Amnon Rubinstein on the need for a judicial inquiry committee to investigate the massacre in refugee camps Sabra and Shatila. |
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| 31.1.1983
| The Speaker of the Knesset announced the establishment of the Knesset Speaker’s Fund, in the amount of one million dollars, for the “Recognition and encouragement to a person, team or institution that actively contributes to the improvement of the quality of life in our country.” |
| 7.2.1983
| The Kahan Commission Report on the Sabra and Shatila Massacre was published. The Commission found the State of Israel indirectly responsible, as the camps were under IDF control.
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| 14.2.1983
| The Speaker of the Knesset spoke about the murder of peace activist Emil Grunzweig; an announcement was made by the Government concerning the transfer of the Defense Minster’s duties to the Prime Minister, in response to the Kahan Commission Report.
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| 25.4.1983
| A special sitting, initiated by the opposition, was held on the “deterioration of national economic procedures.”
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| 11.5.1983
| Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir notified the Knesset on an agreement made between Israel and Lebanon (signed May 17th). |
| 24.5.1983
| During a festive plenum sitting marking a centennial to the resettlement of Israel, mention was also made of the Aliyah of Yemenite Jewry. |
| 14.6.1983
| A motion for the agenda was raised by MK Shimon Peres on the need to establish an official inquiry commission to investigate the Government’s performance during the Lebanon War.
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| 17.10.1983
| The Prime Minister announced the resignation of Finance Minister Yoram Aridor, following the start of the Bank Stock Crisis. |
| 19.10.1983
| A no-confidence motion was presented by the Alignment, Shinui and Hadash factions, regarding the state of national economy. |
| 29.11.1983
| MK Charlie Bitton reported on his meeting with the King of Morocco. |
| 27.12.1983
| A debate was held, at the request of MK Haim Druckman, on the “insult to basic values of the Jewish state and nation in the theater.” |
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| A Selection of Enacted Laws |
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Overview
The Tenth Knesset officiated for three years, during which two governments held office. The first of which, the 19th Government of Israel, was headed by Menahem Begin, and the second, the 20th Government, by Yitzhak Shamir. The Knesset was dissolved by its own right and elections were brought forward by a year, due to the weakening of the narrow coalition in the Knesset plenum and committees. The grounds for this decision were connected to the economic crisis.
In the elections to the Tenth Knesset, the Alignment had failed to regain sovereignty and the “Turnabout” was proven to be more than just a phase. The two largest parties gained together 95 seats in the Knesset – 48 for the Likud and 47 for the Alignment. The third largest party was the National Religious Party, with only six seats after Aharon Abuhatssira left to establish the Movement for the Heritage of Israel.
The number of deputy ministers increased significantly during this Knesset, and at its highest point reached 11 MKs. This resulted in a decline in the number of MKs devoted to parliamentary work.
The main event during the Tenth Knesset’s tenure was Operation Peace of the Galilee, initiated by Defense Minister Ariel Sharon. It began in June 1982 with the aim to eliminate the Palestinian terrorist cells lodged in Southern Lebanon. A wider effect of the operation was to bring about elections of a Lebanese government which would be willing to sign on a peace agreement with Israel and liquidate the PLO’s operations in the state. A wide national consensus was given to the operation at its start, but it evolved to become the center of harsh differences, expressed by public demonstrations and turbulent debates within the Knesset. These reached their climax following the massacre at the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila, near Beirut, which were planned and executed by the Christian Phalanges militias. The Kahan Commission, appointed in November 1982, found that Israeli political and military delegates did not act to prevent them, and this fact brought Ariel Sharon to resign from his post. The ongoing complications of the operation was also a factor in the resignation of Prime Minister Menahem Begin in September 1983.
Though PLO headquarters and leadership had moved due to the operation to Tunisia, the terrorist acts against Israel did not stop. In the “Kav 300” affair – an attack in which four terrorists kidnapped a bus – two of the terrorists were killed by the security forces during the rescue mission, but the remaining two were killed after being held captive. The affair was investigated by several bodies. Simultaneously to the struggle against PLO and against terror, an association of the villages in the West Bank was established, with the support of the Israeli administration, in preparation for it to become a future alternative to the Palestinian leadership.
This Knesset oversaw the completion of the withdrawal from Sinai and the evacuation of Yamit, while on the other hand ratifying the Golan Heights Law and applying Israeli jurisdiction over the Golan Heights. A peace agreement with Lebanon was signed in May 1983, but less than a year later it was annulled by the President of Lebanon. In fact, these years did not provide significant progress in the peace process nor toward autonomy for the Palestinians.
Ideological differences between right-wing and left-wing groups intensified within the Knesset and the entire public. Emil Grunzweig, an activist for “Peace Now,” was a victim of this intensification when he was murdered by a right-wing extremist during a demonstration in Jerusalem. Avraham Burg, later a Member of the Knesset, was also hurt in this demonstration. In April 1984, several months prior to the elections to the 11th Knesset, members of the Jewish Underground Movement, who committed terrorist acts against Palestinians and conspired to blow up the al-Aqsa Mosque, were caught.
Another subject occupying the Tenth Knesset was the need to promote the liberation of Refuseniks in the Soviet Union, as well as the concern about the increase in emigration from Israel (“yerida”).
The religious parties took advantage of the Government’s narrow majority and acted to continue promoting changes in the status-quo, a process which began during the Ninth Knesset. They were successful in stopping “El Al” flights on Shabbat, in reducing the number of working permits for Shabbat and holidays and in increasing Kashrut supervision. During this time the “Atara Kadisha” organization intensified its activities, and the discovery of a gravesite at the construction site of “Hamat” hotel in Tiberias was discussed in the Knesset.
In the economic arena, the bank stock crisis occurred and caused the State to become the owner of most of the banking system in Israel. The financial status of the municipalities was also debated. Towards the end of its tenure, the inflation had reached three-digit levels and brought about the discussion on the “Dollarization Program” of Finance Minister Yoram Aridor, a plan that led to his resignation. At this time, the Government decided to begin the implementation of two large-scale plans: The Dead Sea Canal and the Lavi fighter aircraft project. Both of these projects were controversial and were ultimately canceled for budgetary reasons.
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