Blue and White Pages 2018

“the Elected Constituent Assembly…”

The Declaration of Independence called for the election of a Constituent Assembly, in other words, an elected parliamentary body, which was to finalize the drafting of a constitution for the new state by October 1, 1948.

Due to the War of Independence, the elections were postponed, and on January 25, 1949, elections were held for the Constituent Assembly. These were the first free, democratic elections in the country.

Chaim Weizmann and his wife Vera Weizman on the day of the elections to the First Knesset, 1949

“The elected regular authorities of the state…”

Provisional Government resigns

With the gathering of the Constituent Assembly, soon to be renamed the First Knesset, the Transition Law was passed. Its purpose was to enable an orderly transfer of power from temporary bodies, particularly the Provisional Council of State and the Provisional Government, to elected and permanent bodies, specifically the Knesset, the president, and the government. In accordance with the law, Chaim Weizmann was elected to be the first president of Israel on February 16, 1949.

Following the swearing-in ceremony on the next day, the thirteen members of the Provisional Government handed in their resignations to the new president. This would enable the president to appoint one of the members of the Knesset to establish an elected government which would win the confidence of a majority of Knesset members. On February 24, 1949, President Weizmann officially handed David Ben-Gurion the task of creating the State of Israel’s first elected government.

Provisional Government meeting before their resignation, February 1949. Right to left: P. Bernstein, Rabbi Y. M. Levin, D. Ben-Gurion, M. Shertok (Sharett), A. Zisling, B. Shitreet, Y. Gruenbaum and E. Kaplan Photograph: Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Government Press Office.

Letter of resignation sent by members of the Provisional Government to President Chaim Weizmann, in order to begin the process of forming a government after the first Knesset elections, 17 February 1949.

Election Day

Citizens Electing the First Knesset – the Benno Rothenberg Collection 1949

Citizens Electing the First Knesset – the Benno Rothenberg Collection 1949

For more pictures from the First Knesset Elections, Here

The First Knesset

On 14 February, 1949 the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly was held in the Jewish Agency building in Jerusalem. The president of the Provisional Council of State, Chaim Weizmann, swore in the members of the Assembly and Joseph Sprinzak was elected the first speaker.

On February 16, 1949, the Transition Law was approved by the Constituent Assembly, turning the Assembly into the First Knesset. The Knesset thus succeeded the Assembly as the country’s legislative parliamentary body.

The Interior Committee of the First Knesset

For additional files from the First Knesset Here

The Knesset Building, Jerusalem, 1964

The abolition of the Mandatory and Ottoman laws

With the establishment of the State of Israel, all the Ottoman and British Mandate Laws remained in force, except for the White Paper laws that restricted immigration. Gradually Mandatory and Ottoman laws and regulations were abolished, among them those that prescribed flogging. This punishment was the most common of judicial corporal punishments imposed by court and was valid until the mid-20th century. Judicial corporal punishment was widespread and legal in most Asian countries, the United States, and parts of European countries. The decision to abolish punishment by flogging is one of the main laws that enshrine the right of every Israeli citizen to life and integrity.

Law abolishing punishment by flogging; Original copy signed by Knesset Speaker Josheph Sprinzak, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, and Justice Minister Pinhas Rosen,25 July 1950

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