President of Israel - Presidential Powers

Presidential Powers

The powers of the President of Israel are generally equivalent to those held by heads of state in other parliamentary democracies and are largely dictated by Basic Law: The Presidency, which was passed in 1964. The Basic Law: The Government also includes sections on the powers of the president with reference to the government. The President signs every law (except those that pertain to the President's powers) and international or bilateral treaties approved by the Knesset. In addition, the President endorses the credentials of ambassadors and receives the credentials of foreign diplomats, appoints the Governor of the Bank of Israel, the State Comptroller upon recommendation of the Knesset House Committee, members of the Council on Higher Education, the National Academy of Science, the Broadcasting Authority, the Authority to Rehabilitate Prisoners, the Chief Rabbinical Council, the Wolf Foundation, the President of Magen David Adom, the President of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and ceremonially appoints the Prime Minister. The President also has the power to pardon or commute the sentences of both soldiers and civilians, and ceremonially appoints judges to courts, including the Supreme Court, after appointment by the Judicial Selection Committee.

To ensure the apolitical nature of the role, the president may "neither intervene politically nor express personal views on issues that divide the public".

In addition, paragraph 29a of The Government basic law also states that the president must consent to the dissolution of the Knesset at the request of the Prime Minister when the government has lost its majority and can therefore no longer function effectively.

Presidential powers are usually exercised based on the recommendation of appropriate government ministers.