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In the Knesset

Knesset 12

21.11.1988 - 13.7.1992

Knesset 13

13.7.1992 - 17.6.1996

Knesset 14

17.6.1996 - 7.6.1999

Knesset 15

7.6.1999 - 17.11.1999 (Partial tenure)

Knesset 17

17.4.2006 - 4.11.2008 (Partial tenure)

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Knesset 12

Member, Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee

Member, Constitution, Law and Justice Committee

Member, Immigration and Absorption Committee

Knesset 14

Member, Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee

Member, Constitution, Law and Justice Committee

Member, Committee on the Status of Women

Knesset 17

Member, Examination Team for the Training of High-Ranking IDF Officers

Member, Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee

Member, Internal Affairs and Environment Committee

Member, Committee for Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs

Member, Subcommittee for Internal Security

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Knesset and Committee Activities

Knesset Terms
Committees
Parliamentary Groups

Knesset 12

Alignment, Israel Labor Party

Knesset 13

Israel Labor Party

Knesset 14

Israel Labor Party

Knesset 15

One Israel (2)

Knesset 17

Meretz-Yahad

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Government Roles

Deputy Minister of Finance

Knesset 12

Govt. 23 - From December 26, 1988

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

Knesset 13

Govt. 25 - From August 4, 1992 until July 17, 1995

Minister of Economics and Planning

Knesset 13

Govt. 25 - From July 18, 1995

Minister in the Prime Minister's Office

Knesset 13

Govt. 26

Minister of Justice

Knesset 15

Govt. 28

Minister of Religious Affairs

Knesset 15

Govt. 28 - From October 11, 2000

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Legislative Achievements

 

Basic Law: Government 2001

 

In 2001, along with Uzi Landau, Beilin initiated the change of Basic Law: The Government and proposed the abolishment of direct elections of the Prime Minister:

 

Direct elections had been instituted in Israel in 1996. The revision, overturned this 1992 law, and restored the 1968 system with some amendments.

 

Under the direct election law, the vote was split, with a separate ballot for the Knesset members and the Prime Minister. This system had failed to strengthen the office of the Prime Minister as was initially hoped and in fact, even weakened the larger parties.

 

The return to a parliamentary system meant that the Prime Minister will again be chosen by the largest bloc in the legislature.

 

Amendment 8 to Knesset Law 2000

 

Until 2000, the leader of the largest party not-within-the-coalition did not have an official position, but rather a symbolic role. Meetings between the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the largest party not-within-government would take place, but with no official status.

 

In 2000 two bills were submitted to the Knesset regarding amendments to the Leader of the Opposition's status. One was a 'Government bill' submitted by Dr Yossi Beilin and the other was a 'private members bill', submitted by MK Uzi Landau. Together they merged the bills and in July 2000, the Knesset approved Amendment 8 to Knesset Law:

 

The law essentially strengthens the status of Leader of the Opposition as an overseer to government activities. It prescribes his or hers ceremonial role in various official events and obliges the Prime Minister to update the leader on the current state of affairs once a month. In addition law stipulates that the Opposition Leader's salary will be determined by Knesset committee, and shall not be lower than a salary of a Cabinet minister.

 

Law for Negotiations with Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) 1993

 

In 1993 Beilin initiated a private bill, which came to pass without him as a signatory, wavering the prevention of negotiations with the PLO. This allowed for landmark negotiations such as Oslo to commence.  

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