The heads of Israel's three largest political parties, Kadima, Likud and Labor, all support efforts to adopt a constitution – something haredim have traditionally opposed because it "usurps" the Torah. Ha'aretz reports:
Kadima Chairman Ehud Olmert, Labor Party head Amir Peretz and Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu will declare they support the legislation of the document in a special session of the Knesset plenum scheduled for February 13 to mark the founding of parliament.
Chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee MK Michael Eitan (Likud) is expected to present at the session a comprehensive constitutional document, which will be used as the foundation for Israel's future constitution.
Since its establishment, the State of Israel has operated on a nucleus of Basic Laws on several key issues. The debate over the need for a constitution as a formative legislative document has spanned many years.
The Israel Democracy Institute, headed by former Chief Justice Meir Shamgar has been leading the efforts of formulating and legislatively ratifying this document.
MK Eitan said he hopes the legislative procedures for passing the constitution will begin after the March elections, in spite of objections from the ultra-Orthodox and Arab parties to certain parts in the document.He said, however, he believes the constitution would be passed "by a vast majority, i.e. at least 70 MKs would support it."
It's about time.