(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bid to expand the government passed its first Knesset reading Monday evening, following hours of heated debate by opposition MKs who opposed the bill, according to Israel Radio.
All 61 members of the new coalition government voted in favor of the legislation, which has yet to pass the second and third readings before becoming law, whereas all 59 members of the opposition, who were present, voted against it.
After the measure was approved, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein stated, "It is my honor to announce to the Knesset that based on "Basic Law: The Government," the prime minister has succeeded in forming a government." Earlier, Israel's High Court upheld the new government's bid to increase the number of ministers, allowing the crucial bill to be brought before parliament later in the day.
Earlier, the opposition Yesh Atid party had sought an injunction from the court preventing the first reading of the bill to permit the enlargement of the cabinet from its present statutory maximum of 18 ministers, claiming the proposal was unconstitutional.
The court, however, "rejected the demand by Yesh Atid for an injunction against the amendment to the law", according to a court statement.
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