Israel Changes Law to Make It Harder to Cede Jerusalem Control
by Reuters and Algemeiner Staff
Israel’s parliament passed an amendment on Tuesday that would make it harder for it to cede control over parts of Jerusalem in any peace deal with the Palestinians.
The legislation, sponsored by the HaBayit HaYehudi party, raises to 80 from 61 the number of votes required in the 120-seat Knesset to approve any proposal to hand over part of the city to “a foreign party.”
The amendment, long in the legislative pipeline, was passed with 64 lawmakers voting in favor and 52 against.
HaBayit HaYehudi leader Naftali Bennett said the vote showed that Israel would keep control of all of Jerusalem forever.
“There will be no more political skulduggery that will allow our capital to be torn apart,” Bennett said on Twitter.
Opposition head Isaac Herzog said HaBayit HaYehudi was leading Israel “toward a terrible disaster.”
On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party unanimously urged legislators in a non-binding resolution to effectively annex Israeli settlements built in the West Bank.