The Knesset’s ministerial committee on legislation will vote unanimously tomorrow (Sunday, November 14) in favor of setting term limits for Israel’s prime minister, Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who chairs the committee, announced on Thursday, November 11. 

Placards from an anti-Netanyahu demonstration in Jerusalem, May 2020 (Photo: Crime Minister)

Another Sa’ar-sponsored bill, which would prevent any MK facing a serious indictment – including former far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – from forming a government, has not obtained the support of current Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. This latter bill is also opposed by at least two additional key figures in Yamina, Bennett’s party, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked and Deputy Minister Abir Kara.

The head of the Joint List, MK Ayman Odeh (Hadash) has urged Sa’ar to present the second bill as soon as possible. He told Sa’ar that if he hesitates with the bill, the Joint List would bring it before the Knesset instead.

The coalition encountered two defeats in the Knesset on Wednesday, November 10, one of which has brought its leaders to consider enforcing sanctions against MK Mazen Ghanaim Ra’am (United Arab List), who cast the deciding vote in favor of a bill introduced by the Joint List to build a hospital in Ghanaim’s hometown of Sakhnin.

Related: Joint List Bill to Found Hospital in Sakhnin Passes Preliminary Vote