# Article 1 of the Constitution of Israel

- Jurisdiction: Israel (IL)
- Article: 1
- Chapter (as indexed): Chapter Four: Miscellaneous Provisions
- Source document: Israel Constitution
- Canonical (HTML): https://www.portablelaw.com/provision/3ac1ec7e-f337-4991-87f7-fe98045dd797
- This document: https://www.portablelaw.com/provision/3ac1ec7e-f337-4991-87f7-fe98045dd797/md
- Constitution: https://www.portablelaw.com/countries/d251dbbc-8380-4aae-9c9e-2252be2551a0

## Verbatim text

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for that purpose by Law.
3. Definition
In this Law, "lands" means land, houses, buildings and anything permanently fixed to
land.
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Basic Law: The President of the State (1964)
1. Status

Name/structure of executive(s)
A President shall stand at the head of the State.
2. Place of residence
The place of residence of the President of the State shall be Jerusalem.
3. Election and period of tenure (Amendments 2 and 4)
a. The President of the State shall be elected by the Knesset for seven years.

Head of state selection

Head of state term length
b. The President will serve for one term only.

Head of state term limits
4. Eligibility (Amendment 4)

Eligibility for head of state
Every Israel national who is a resident of Israel is qualified to be a candidate for the
office of President of the State.
5. Date of election (Amendment 8)

Scheduling of elections
The election of the President of the State shall be held not earlier than ninety days
and not later than thirty days before the expiration of the period of tenure of the
President in office. If the place of the President of the State falls vacant before the
expiration of his period of tenure, the election shall be held within forty-five days
from the day on which such place falls vacant. The Chairman of the Knesset, in
consultation with the Vice-Chairmen, shall fix the day of the election and shall notify
it to all the members of the Knesset in writing at least three weeks in advance. If the
day of the election does not fall in one of the session terms of the Knesset, the
Chairman of the Knesset shall convene the Knesset for the election of the President
of the State.
6. Proposal of candidates (Amendment 8)

Head of state selection
a.
1. A proposal of a candidate for President of the State shall be submitted in
writing to the Chairman of the Knesset, together with the consent of the
candidate in writing, on the fourteenth day before the day of the election; A
member of the Knesset shall not sponsor the proposal of more than one
candidate;
2. A person any ten or more members of the Knesset proposed his candidacy
shall be candidate for President of the State, except if the number of
sponsors decreased below ten because of the deletion of the name of a
member of the Knesset as described in subsection (3);
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3. Where a member of the Knesset sponsored the proposal of more than one
candidate, the name of that member of the Knesset shall be deleted from
the list of sponsors for all candidates he sponsored; Where the number of
sponsors of a candidate decreased below ten because of the deletion of a
name from the list of sponsors, a member of the Knesset who did not
sponsor any proposal may add his name to the list of sponsors of that
candidate, no later than eight days before the day of the election.
b. The Chairman of the Knesset shall notify all the members of the Knesset, in
writing, not later than seven days before the day of the election, of every
candidate proposed and of the names of the members of the Knesset who have
proposed him, and shall announce the candidates at the opening of the meeting
at which the election is held.
7. Voting

Head of state selection
The election of the President of the State shall be by secret ballot at a meeting of the
Knesset assigned only for that purpose.
8. Election by majority of votes (Amendments 7 and 9)

Head of state selection
a. If there are two candidates or more, the candidate who has received the votes of
a majority of the members of the Knesset is elected. If no candidate receives
such a majority, a second ballot shall be held. At the second ballot only the two
candidates who received the largest number of votes at the first ballot shall
stand for election. The candidate who at the second ballot receives a majority of
the votes of the members of the Knesset who take part in the voting and vote for
one of the candidates is elected. If two candidates receive the same number of
votes, voting shall be repeated.
b. If there is only one candidate, the ballot will be in favor or against him and he is
elected if the number of votes in his favor outweighs the number of votes
against him. If the number of votes in his favor equals the number of votes
against him, a second ballot shall be held.
c. If no President of the State is elected under subsection (b), a repeat ballot shall
be held within thirty days of the day of the ballot with accordance to Sections 5
to 7 and this Section, but the proposal of a candidate shall be submitted no later
than seven days before the day of the election.
9. Declaration of allegiance

Oaths to abide by constitution
The President-Elect shall make and sign before the Knesset the following declaration
of allegiance:
"I pledge myself to bear allegiance to the State of Israel and to its laws and faithfully
to carry out my functions as President of the State.".
10. Making of declaration and commencement of period of
tenure (Amendment 4)
a. The President-Elect shall make his declaration of allegiance upon the expiration
of the period of tenure of the preceding President of the State or as soon as
possible beforehand, and shall begin to hold office upon the expiration of the
period of tenure of the preceding President of the State.
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b. If the place of the preceding President of the State falls vacant before the
expiration of his period of tenure, the President-Elect shall make his declaration
of allegiance as soon as possible after his election and shall begin to hold office
upon making his declaration of allegiance.
11. Functions and powers (Amendments 3 and 5)

Head of state powers
a. The President of the State -
1. shall sign every Law, other than a Law relating to its powers;
2. shall carry out the functions assigned to him by Basic Law: The
Government;
3. shall receive from the Government a report on its meetings;
4. shall accredit the diplomatic representatives of the State, shall receive the
credentials of diplomatic representatives sent to Israel by foreign states,
shall empower the consular representatives of the State and shall confirm
the appointments of consular representatives sent to Israel by foreign
states;

Foreign affairs representative
5. shall sign such conventions with foreign states as have been ratified by the
Knesset;
6. shall carry out every function assigned to him by Law in connection with the
appointment and removal from office of judges and other office-holder's.
b. The President of the State shall have power to pardon offenders and to lighten
penalties by the reduction or commutation thereof.

Power to pardon
c. The President of the State shall carry out every other function and have every
other power assigned to him by Law.
12. Counter-signature (Amendments 2 and 5)
The signature of the President of State on an official document, other than a
document connected with the formation of a Government or the dissolution of a
Knesset, shall require the countersignature of the Prime Minister or of such other
Minister as the Government may decide.
13. Immunity with regard to discharge of functions
a. The President of the State shall not be amenable to any court or tribunal, and
shall be immune from any legal act, in respect of anything connected with his
functions or powers.
b. The President of the State shall not, in giving evidence, have to disclose anything
which came to his knowledge in the discharge of his functions as President of the
State.
c. The immunity of the President of the State under this section shall continue
after he has ceased to be President of the State.
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14. Immunity from criminal proceedings

Head of state immunity
The President of the State shall not be criminally prosecuted. The period during
which, by virtue of this section, the President of the State cannot be prosecuted for
an offence shall not be counted in calculating the period of prescription of that
offence.
15. Evidence
If the President of the State is required to give evidence, his evidence shall be taken
at such place and time as shall be determined with his sanction.
16. Salary and other payments (Amendment 1)

Legislative committees
The salary of the President of the State, and other payments to be made to him
during his period of tenure, shall be fixed by resolution of the Knesset, which may
empower the Finance Committee in that behalf. Resolutions under this section shall
be published in “Reshumot”.
17. President to hold no other office
a. Save with the sanction of the House Committee of the Knesset, the President of
the State shall not hold any post, or exercise any function, other than the post
and functions of President of the State.

Legislative committees

Eligibility for head of state
b. The President of the State shall be exempt from all compulsory service.
18. Departure for abroad
The President of the State shall not leave the territory of the State save with the
sanction of the Government.
19. Resignation

Head of state removal
The President of the State may resign his office by submitting a letter of resignation
to the Chairman of the Knesset. The letter of resignation shall not require a
countersignature. The place of the President of the State shall become vacant
forty-eight hours after the letter of resignation reaches the Chairman of the Knesset.
20. Removal of President from office

Legislative committees

Head of state removal
a. The Knesset may, by resolution, remove the President of the State from office if
it finds that he is unworthy of his office owing to conduct unbecoming his status
as President of the State.
b. The Knesset shall not remove the President of the State from office, save
following a complaint brought before the House Committee by at least twenty
members of the Knesset and upon the proposal of the House Committee passed
by a three-quarters majority of the members of the Committee. A resolution by
the Knesset to remove the President from office shall require a three-quarters
majority of the members of the Knesset.
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c. The House Committee shall not propose the removal of the President of the
State from office before he has been given an opportunity to refute the
complaint in accordance with procedure prescribed by the Committee with the
approval of the Knesset, and the Knesset shall not resolve to remove the
President of the State from office before he has been given an opportunity to be
heard in accordance with procedure prescribed by the House Committee with
the approval of the Knesset.
d. The President of the State may be represented before the House Committee
and before the Knesset by an authorized representative. A member of the
Knesset shall not act as the representative of the President. The House
Committee and the Knesset may summon the President of the State to be
present at proceedings under this section.
e. Proceedings of the Knesset under this section shall be taken at a meeting, or
successive meetings, assigned solely for that purpose. The proceedings shall
begin not later than twenty days after the resolution of the House Committee.
The time of their beginning shall be notified by the Chairman of the Knesset to
all the members of the Knesset, in writing, at least ten days in advance. If the
beginning of the proceedings does not fall in one of the session terms of the
Knesset, the Chairman of the Knesset shall convene the Knesset for the
proceedings.
21. Vacation of post for reasons of health

Head of state removal
a. The Knesset may, by resolution passed by a majority of its members, declare
that for reasons of health the President of the State is permanently unable to
carry out his functions.
b. The Knesset shall not pass a resolution as aforesaid save upon the proposal of
the House Committee passed by a two-thirds majority of its members on the
strength of a medical opinion given in accordance with rules prescribed by the
Committee.
c. If the Knesset resolves as aforesaid, the place of the President of the State shall
become vacant on the day of the resolution.
22. Temporary cessation of exercise of office (Amendment
2)

Legislative committees
a. The President of the State shall temporarily cease to carry out his functions and
exercise his powers –
1. if he leaves the territory of the State - from the time of his leaving until his
return;
2. if he notifies the House Committee that he is temporarily unable to carry
out his functions and the Knesset Committee approves his notification by a
majority of votes – from the time of the approval of the notification until
the expiration of the period fixed by the Committee in its resolution or until
the President of the State notifies the House Committee that he is no
longer unable to carry out his functions, whichever is the earlier date;
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3. if the House Committee, by a two-thirds majority of its members, on the
strength of a medical opinion given in accordance with rules prescribed by
the Committee, resolves that for reasons of health the President of the
State is temporarily unable to carry out his functions – from the passing of
the resolution until the expiration of the period fixed by the House
Committee in the resolution or until the House Committee resolves that
the President is no longer unable to carry out his functions.
b. The House Committee shall not, under subsection (a)(2) or (3), fix a period
exceeding three months. It may extend the period, without a break, up to a
maximum of three additional months. Any further extension shall require a
resolution of the Knesset passed by a majority of the members of the Knesset
upon the proposal of the House Committee.
23. Interim President and Acting President

Head of state replacement
a. If the place of the President of the State has fallen vacant, and so long as the new
President has not yet begun to hold office, the Chairman of the Knesset shall
hold office as Interim President of the State.
b. During a period in which the President of the State has temporarily ceased to
carry out his functions and exercise his powers, the Chairman of the Knesset
shall hold office as Acting President of the State.
c. While holding office as Interim President of the State or Acting President of the
State, the Chairman of the Knesset shall carry out the functions assigned to the
President of the State by Law and shall exercise the powers vested in the
President of the State by Law.
24. Notices in Reshumot
a. The Chairman of the Knesset shall publish a notice in “Reshumot” as to -
1. the commencement of the tenure of the President of the State;
2. the vacancy of the place of the President of the State;
3. the commencement and termination of the tenure of the Chairman of the
Knesset as Acting President of the State under section 22(a)(2) and (3).
b. The Prime Minister shall publish a notice in “Reshumot” as to the President's
leaving the territory of the State and as to his return.
25. Law not to be affected by emergency regulations

Emergency provisions
Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, this Law cannot be varied,
suspended, or made subject to conditions, by emergency regulations.
26. Repeal
a. There are hereby repealed -
1. sections 2(c), 6 and 7 of the Transition Law, 5709-1949;
2. the State President (Tenure) Law, 5712-1951;
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b. The State President, Government Members and Chief Rabbis of Israel (Fixing of
Salaries) Law, 5711-1950, shall no longer apply to the salary of the President of
the State or to payments due to him or his survivors.
27. Transitional provision
The President of the State who was elected by the Knesset on the 27th Iyar, 5723
(21st May, 1963) shall be deemed to have been elected, and to hold office, under this
Law.
Basic Law: The State Economy (1975)
1. Taxes, compulsory loans, and fees (Amendment 1)
a. Taxes, compulsory loans and other compulsory payment shall not be imposed,
and their amounts shall not be varied, save by or under Law; the same shall apply
with regard to fees.
b. Where the amounts of any taxes, compulsory loans or other compulsory
payments, or fees, payable to the Treasury are not prescribed in the Law itself,
and the Law does not provide that the amounts prescribed therefore by
regulations shall require approval by the Knesset or by a committee of the
Knesset, the amounts prescribed therefore by regulations shall require approval
- in advance or within the period prescribed by the Law - by a decision of the
Knesset or of a committee of the Knesset empowered by it in that behalf.
2. State property
Transactions in State property and the acquisition of rights and assumption of
liabilities on behalf of the State shall be effected by a person empowered in that
behalf by or under Law.
3. The State Budget (Amendments 1, 2, and 7)

Budget bills
a.
1. The State Budget shall be prescribed by Law.
2. The Budget shall be for one year and shall set out the expected and planned
expenditure of the Government.
b.
1. The Government shall lay the Budget Bill on the table of the Knesset at the
time prescribed by the Finance Committee of the Knesset but not later
than sixty days before the beginning of the fiscal year

Legislative committees
2. The Budget Bill shall be detailed.
3. The detailed Budget Bill of the Ministry of Defense shall not be laid on the
table of the Knesset but on the table of a joint committee of the Finance
Committee and the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee of the Knesset.

Legislative committees
4. The Budget Bill shall be accompanied by an estimate of the sources for
financing the Budget.
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c. In case of necessity, the Government may bring in an Additional Budget Bill
during the fiscal year.
d. Where it appears to the Government that the Budget Law will not be adopted
before the beginning of the fiscal year, it may bring in an Interim Budget Bill.
e. The Minister of Finance shall submit to the Knesset every year a report on the
implementation of the State Budget. Particulars shall be prescribed by Law.
3A. Multi-annual budget (Amendment 4)

Budget bills
a. Towards every fiscal year, the Government shall prepare a multi-annual budget
plan that will include the Budget Bill for the coming year, as well as a budget plan
for the two following consecutive years.
b. The Government shall submit to the Knesset the multi-annual budget plan
together with the Budget Bill.
c. Every budget bill submitted by the Government to the Knesset shall be based on
the multi-annual budget plan prepared and submitted under with this Section in
the previous year.
3B. Failure to adopt budget (Amendment 5)

Budget bills
a. In case of non-adoption of the Budget Law prior to the beginning of the fiscal
year, the Government is entitled to spend every month a sum equal to one
twelfth of the previous annual budget, with increase linked to the consumer
price index published by the Central Bureau of Statistics.
b. Funds under Subsection (a) shall be designated first of all to fulfill the State's
obligations by virtue of law, contracts and treaties. The remainder shall be used
by the Government only for the operation of vital services and activities
included in the previous Budget Law.
c. This Section may not be altered, save by a majority of the members of the
Knesset.

Constitution amendment procedure
3C. Legislation requiring a budget (Amendment 6,
Announcements 1 and 2)

Budget bills
a. A Budgetary Bill shall not be passed by the Knesset, save with the votes of at
least 50 Members of the Knesset. The aforementioned majority is required in
the first, second and third readings. However, should a Bill turn into a Budgetary
Bill after first reading, the aforementioned majority is required in the second
and third readings.
b. A Budgetary Reservation shall not be passed by the Knesset, save with the votes
of at least 50 Members of the Knesset. Where a Budgetary Reservation to a bill
is passed, the Bill shall not pass the third reading save with the votes of at least
50 members of the Knesset.
c. The determination of the Budgetary Cost, for the purpose of this Section, of a
Bill or Reservation, shall be that of the Knesset Committee deliberating that Bill
or Reservation (hereinafter - the Committee). The Committee shall determine
the Budgetary Cost by the evaluation of the Minister of Finance, or someone
authorized by him for that purpose, unless it has been proven to its satisfaction,
by another evaluation submitted to it, that the Budgetary Cost is different from
that evaluated by the Minister of Finance. Evaluations under this Section shall
be submitted together with data and estimates.

Legislative committees
d. In this Section -
• "Budgetary Bill" – means a bill fulfilling all of the following:
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1. It was submitted not by the Government;
2. Its implementation involves a Budgetary Cost of 5,991,899 New Israeli
Shekels or more, in any budget year;
3. The Government has not given its consent to the Budgetary Cost;
• "Budgetary Reservation" – means a reservation to a bill, fulfilling all of the
following:
1. Its implementation involves a Budgetary Cost of 5,991,899 New Israeli
Shekels or more, in any budget year;
2. The Government has not given its consent to the Budgetary Cost;
• "Budgetary Cost" – means Expenditure or a commitment for Expenditure
from State Budget, or a Diminution in State Revenues, even if that
Expenditure or Diminution is accompanied by a reduction in Expenditure or
a commitment for Expenditure from State Budget, or by an increase in
State Revenues;
• "Expenditure from State Budget", "Diminution of State Revenues" -
including expenditure from the budget of a Budgeted Body, or a diminution
in the revenues of a Budgeted Body;
• "Budgeted Body" – as defined by Article 21 of the Foundations of the
Budget Act, 5745-1985.
e. The sums specified in the definitions of "Budgetary Bill" and "Budgetary
Reservation" in subsection (d) shall be updated on the 1st of January of every
year, according to the rate of change in the consumer price index published by
the Central Bureau of Statistics.
f. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to a bill regarding the dissolution of
the Knesset and holding elections.
4. Currency notes and coins
The printing of legal tender currency notes and the minting of legal tender coins, and
the issue thereof, shall be done under Law.
5. Inspection (Amendment 3)
The State economy shall be subject to the inspection of the State Comptroller.
Basic Law: The Military (1976)
1. Defence Army of Israel
The Defence Army of Israel is the army of the State.
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2. Subordination to civil authority
a. The Army is subject to the authority of the Government.
b. The Minister in charge of the Army on behalf of the Government is the Minister
of Defence.
3. Chief of the General Staff

Designation of commander in chief
a. The supreme command level in the Army is the Chief of the General Staff.
b. The Chief of the General Staff is subject to the authority of the Government and
subordinate to the Minister of Defence.
c. The Chief of the General Staff shall be appointed by the Government upon the
recommendation of the Minister of Defence.
4. Duty to serve and recruitment
The duty of serving in the Army and recruitment for the Army shall be as prescribed
by or by virtue of Law.
5. Instructions and orders in the Army
The power to issue instructions and orders binding in the Army shall be prescribed
by or by virtue of Law.
6. Other armed forces
No armed force other than the Defence Army of Israel shall be established or
maintained except under Law.
Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel (1980)
1. Jerusalem, Capital of Israel

National capital
Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel.
2. Seat of the President, the Knesset, the Government and
the Supreme Court
Jerusalem is the seat of the President of the State, the Knesset, the Government and
the Supreme Court.
3. Protection of Holy Places
The Holy Places shall be protected from desecration and any other violation and
from anything likely to violate the freedom of access of the members of the different
religions to the places sacred to them or their feelings towards those places.
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4. Development of Jerusalem
a. The Government shall provide for the development and prosperity of Jerusalem
and the well-being of its inhabitants by allocating special funds, including a
special annual grant to the Municipality of Jerusalem (Capital City Grant) with
the approval of the Finance Committee of the Knesset.

Legislative committees
b. Jerusalem shall be given special priority in the activities of the authorities of the
State so as to further its development in economic and other matters.
c. The Government shall set up a special body or special bodies for the
implementation of this section.
5. Area of the jurisdiction of Jerusalem (Amendment 1)
The jurisdiction of Jerusalem includes, as pertaining to this basic law, among others,
all of the area that is described in the appendix of the proclamation expanding the
borders of municipal Jerusalem beginning the 20th of Sivan 5727 (June 28, 1967), as
was given according to the Cities' Ordinance.
6. Prohibition of the transfer of authority (Amendment 1)
No authority that is stipulated in the law of the State of Israel or of the Jerusalem
Municipality may be transferred either permanently or for an allotted period of time
to a foreign body, whether political, governmental or to any other similar type of
foreign body.
7. Entrenchment (Amendment 1)

Constitution amendment procedure
Clauses 5 and 6 shall not be modified except by a Basic Law passed by a majority of
the members of the Knesset.
Basic Law: The Judiciary (1984)
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## What this means (mechanical reading aid, not legal advice)

- The index files this text under article 1 of the Constitution of Israel.
- The index files it under the chapter heading “Chapter Four: Miscellaneous Provisions”.
- The passage runs to about 4,579 words.
- Read plainly, it mentions freedom of expression — it protects speaking, writing, publishing or holding an opinion (the words used: “opinion”); it mentions property — it addresses property, possession, or taking property compulsorily (the words used: “property”); it mentions equality and non-discrimination — it requires equal treatment or forbids discrimination (the words used: “equals”); it mentions movement and residence — it concerns moving around, living where you choose, or leaving the country (the words used: “residence”); it mentions pay and pensions — it sets pay, salary, allowance or pension terms (the words used: “Salary”).
- **Caveat:** The row’s stored title is a body fragment, not a heading (“shall not apply to classes of lands and classes of transactions determined”), so it is not used as the provision’s title here.
- **Caveat:** The index gives this passage an article number but stores a body fragment where a heading would be, so the number could not be cross-checked against the text. Check it against the official Constitution before relying on it in a citation.
- **Caveat:** This index row contains 60 separately numbered sections, so it is a chapter-length passage rather than one provision. Cite the passage, and treat any single section number as unverified.

> This is a mechanical reading aid generated from the text above by matching words in it. It is not legal advice, not a lawyer’s interpretation, and not a substitute for the provision itself.

## How to cite this

Constitution of Israel, article 1, Portable Lawyer, https://www.portablelaw.com/provision/3ac1ec7e-f337-4991-87f7-fe98045dd797 (accessed 27 September 2026).

## Related

- [Constitution of Israel](https://www.portablelaw.com/countries/d251dbbc-8380-4aae-9c9e-2252be2551a0)
- [Israel on Portable Lawyer](https://www.portablelaw.com/countries/d251dbbc-8380-4aae-9c9e-2252be2551a0)
- [HTML version of this provision](https://www.portablelaw.com/provision/3ac1ec7e-f337-4991-87f7-fe98045dd797)
- [Machine-readable corpus digest](https://www.portablelaw.com/llms-full.txt)

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Portable Lawyer · Article 1 of the Constitution of Israel (chapter: “Chapter Four: Miscellaneous Provisions”). for that purpose by Law. 3. Definition In this Law, "lands" means land, houses, buildings and anything permanently fixed to land. constituteproject.org PDF generated: 18 Apr 2016,…