Final Knesset bills pass first reading as plenum wraps up stormy term

Legislation to enable courts to order GPS-based enforcement for domestic violence-related restraining orders and to necessitate video recordings when police use water cannons to disperse crowds pass their first readings, as the Knesset’s final two pieces of legislation before breaking for election recess on Tuesday.

Both bills were part of a long list of legislation agreed upon by the coalition and opposition, as part of their efforts to shut down Israel’s 24th Knesset and send the country to elections on November 1.

The Knesset can reconvene during its upcoming break if called back by the government or at least 25 MKs, as announced by the House Committee this afternoon.

As long as the Agreements Committee — made of one coalition and one opposition representative each — agree to continue bringing these bills, they can be passed for their second and third readings during recess.

Alternatively, because they have passed their first readings before Tuesday’s recess takes hold, the bills will freeze and can be taken up by the next Knesset, while skipping much of the legislative rigmarole they have already been through.