Israeli Government Ministers Approve Legislation to Put Term Limits on Prime Ministers

A committee of government ministers unanimously approved legislation that would set term limits of eight years on an Israeli prime minister. The legislation approved by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday, which is an amendment to one of Israel’s Basic Laws – the country’s quasi constitution, must still pass three readings in the Knesset plenum, which are expected to be held in the coming month. The legislation would not be retroactive, meaning that Opposition Leader and former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who has served three terms as prime minister for a total of 15 years, would be allowed to serve for eight more years if he is selected again as prime minister in the future. The term limits legislation was introduced by Justice Minister Gideon Saar, who spent a dozen years in Knesset as a member of the Likud Part, before forming his own New Hope Party after losing a party election to head Likud. Saar is also sponsoring a bill that would prevent anyone under a serious indictment from forming a government; this legislation would apply to Netanyahu, who is currently under indictment for corruption in three different cases. The former prime minister denies the charges.