Liberman declared: In half a year we will hold a referendum and establish a constitution

Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman announced at a pre-military preparatory program conference that he intends to advance a constitution for Israel, to be approved in a referendum within six months. Liberman said the Knesset is incapable of legislating a constitution, so the decision must be passed to the people. He called for enshrining Zionist values in the constitution and regulating religion-state relations and the relationships between the authorities.

Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman announced at a pre-military preparatory program conference held today (Sunday) that he intends to advance a constitution for Israel, the wording of which will be approved in a referendum within six months. Liberman said: "We cannot continue without a constitution," and noted that upon the establishment of the state, it was declared that a constitution would be in place by October 1, 1948. According to him, "The Knesset is incapable of legislating a constitution, so the way is for the government to appoint a team of experts who, within six months, will bring a draft constitution, and simultaneously pass a referendum law for the approval of the constitution. This must pass a referendum outside the Knesset." Referring to Justice Minister Yariv Levin's judicial reform, Liberman said: "The only reform that must happen is a constitution." He called for enshrining Zionist values in the constitution and regulating religion-state relations and the relationships between the three branches of government. In a poll published last night on the "Weekend" program with Daniel Roth-Avneri, Liberman emerged as the leading candidate for the position of Defense Minister from the "Change Bloc" parties — 18% of bloc supporters surveyed said they would like to see him as the next Defense Minister.