Chief justice says hearing will focus on deal’s 6-month freeze, and Knesset’s committees

Chief Justice Esther Hayut says today’s hearing will touch on four issues relating to the unity deal:

• Legislation required by the deal that is already in the process of being legislated, such as a law to shorten the term of the Knesset from four and half to three years.
• Legislation required by the deal that has yet to be advanced, such as a law allowing for a two-year budget to be passed, the Haredi draft bill and the so-called expanded Norwegian Law that would allow any MK who is appointed to a cabinet post to resign temporarily from the Knesset, thereby permitting any other candidate lower on their party’s list to enter parliament in their stead.
• Clauses in the deal that require future acts in parliament, such as changes in the makeup of the Committee to Appoint Judges (the agreement sees the removal of the traditional representative from the opposition).
• Clauses in the deal that don’t require future actions, but rather obligations that go into effect immediately such as a freeze on non-coronavirus related legislation for six months.

Hayut asks the parties to focus on the latter two issues and particularly the fourth one.