KNESSET APPROVES RESUMED CONSIDERATION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002684

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV KWBG SY IS
SUBJECT: KNESSET APPROVES RESUMED CONSIDERATION OF
LEGISLATION REQUIRING A REFERENDUM ON ANY AGREEMENT TO
WITHDRAW FROM GOLAN OR EAST JERUSALEM

Classified By: DCM Luis G. Moreno, Reason 1.4 (b) (d)


1. (U) A majority of Knesset members voted December 9 in
favor of continuing legislative discussions on a bill that
passed its first reading last year. The bill would require a
referendum on any GOI decision to withdraw from territories
occupied in 1967 over which Israel has asserted sovereignty,
specifically the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem, unless the
decision had already been endorsed by the vote of at least 80
members of Knesset (out of 120). The legislation would not
affect the West Bank since Israel has not asserted
sovereignty over that territory. The Knesset vote was
required in order to put the bill back on the Knesset agenda,
since the first reading took place during the previous
Knesset session. The bill now goes into committee, which
could be a lengthy process. Once it leaves committee, it
must pass two more readings before becoming law.


2. (SBU) Several GOI ministers who previously opposed this
legislation as unnecessarily restrictive on the GOI's ability
to conduct negotiations with Syria voted in favor of keeping
it under consideration. Included in this group were Defense
Minister Barak (Labor),Intelligence Minister Meridor
(Likud),and Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Ben
Eliezer (Labor, a key Barak ally). Labor Party members
hostile to Barak's leadership of the party lambasted his
"yes" vote, claiming it demonstrated once again Barak's
willingness to sell out the party's principles in order to
preserve coalition unity. Barak is likely to remain unmoved.


3. (C) Comment. While the bill, if passed, would apply to
both East Jerusalem and the Golan, its intent is focused on
establishing a high hurdle of popular support for any
eventual GOI decision to withdraw from the Golan Heights.
One argument made by some GOI officials who are skeptical of
negotiations with Syria is that the majority of the public
and of the Knesset remains opposed to giving up the Golan.
Others, however, maintain that if an agreement with Syria
that addresses Israel's security needs could be reached, a
strong Prime Minister would likely be able to gain enough
public support to ensure that opponents could not block it.
Those making this argument cite Menachem Begin's success in
gaining majority support in the Knesset for returning the
Sinai to Egypt.
CUNNINGHAM