It was not until late into the morning hours, about 3:00am on 15 Teves when the United Jerusalem Bill sponsored by Bayit Yehudi party chairman Minister Naftali Bennet was passed into law in its final readings in Knesset in a 64-to-51 vote. There was one abstention.

The bill’s intention is to safeguard the future of the united capital under Israeli sovereignty, requiring a minimum of 80 lawmakers to make any changes to the status of the capital. Prior to the passing of the bill, changes could have been made with a simple majority vote in Knesset of 61 of the 120 seats.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)