COUNCIL OF STATE

Council of State: translation

(Moetzet Hamedina Hazmanit)

   Israel's Declaration of Independence provided for the transformation of the 37-member People's Council into the Provisional State Council, which was to serve as the country's provisional legislature for the first nine months of independence. The executive arm of the People's Council, the People's Administration, consisting of 13 members, became the provisional government by the same instrument. In keeping with its provisional functions, the council sought to confine its legislative activity to a minimum. Its first enactment was for the continuance in force of virtually the whole body of mandatory law as well as of the regulations and orders that had been issued by the Jewish Agency for Palestine. Nevertheless, in meeting emergent demands of the new state, the council, during its short life of 40 weekly sittings, passed 98 ordinances, including important organic laws, fiscal measures, and amendments to mandatory ordinances. The council met for the last time on 10 February 1949 and ceased to exist with the convocation of the Constituent Assembly on 14 February 1949.