Establishing precedents

147.

A question concerning debates of the Knesset, for which there is no provision in the Rules of Procedure, shall be decided upon by the House Committee, and its decision shall be a binding precedent, so long as the Knesset has not amended the Rules in regard to this matter.

Divergence from the Rules and precedents

148.

The Knesset shall not debate any matter in a manner which diverges from the Rules of Procedure, or from the precedents, unless the House Committee has deliberated the matter and decided to do so.¹

Interpretation of the Rules and precedents

149.

(a)

Should doubt arise, in the course of a debate in the Knesset, regarding the interpretation of any provision in the Rules of Procedure, or the precedents, the Chairman of the sitting shall decide the matter, and his decision at that sitting shall be binding.

(b)

Within fifteen days from the sitting, the Knesset Member has the permission to appeal against the interpretation made by the Chairman of the sitting, before an Interpretations Committee, made up of the Speaker and eight Members, to be selected by the House Committee.²

(c)

The decision of the Interpretations Committee shall be final.³

¹ (1) The decision of the House Committee to hold a debate (followed by a vote) on a vote of no-confidence in the Government on

the same day, is a matter of “form of debate”. Therefore, the House Committee was authorized to take a decision on the matter, under article 148 of the Rules of Procedure, while diverging from paragraph 35(b) of the Rules. (HCJ 148/73, Prof. Shmuel Kaniel v. the Minister of Justice and others, Verdicts, Vol. 27 (1), pp. 794 and 797)

(2) According to the custom and practice, as of the 13th Knesset, decisions are not taken on the basis of article 148, but by agreement.

² Any appeal before the Interpretations Committee shall be heard in the presence of the appellant. (ICR -

3.6.1953)

³ (1) The decisions of the Interpretations Committee shall be laid on the Knesset’s table. The Secretary General of the Knesset shall

announce them, and they shall be appended as annexes to the Knesset Record. (Decision of the Speaker and the Deputy Speakers of 7.1.1962)

(2) In recent years it has become the practice that decisions of the Interpretations Committee are conveyed to the Knesset by the Speaker.