Constitution?

Israel does not have a constitution. The 1948 Israeli Declaration of Independence envisaged the enactment of a constitution within "several months". Six hundred eighty eight months have now gone by (as of today). What happened was that in January 1949 we elected our first national assembly and, as the Jewish Virtual Library explains...

"the assembly’s first action was to pass the so-called Transition Law, by which it reconstituted itself as the 'First Knesset.' A protracted debate ensued between the proponents of a constitution – those favoring immediate enactment of a constitution – and its opponents, some of whom ruled out the very idea of a constitution, while others argued that the time was not ripe. Finally, the Knesset adopted a compromise resolution – in effect, a decision not to adopt a constitution. This resolution (1950), is known as the 'Harari Resolution' after its sponsor, MK I. Harari."

The idea of an Israeli constitution has now become a political football. For a peek at both sides of the still ongoing argument, click here.