| In the legislation department, Israelis have it a lot easier than Americans do. The legislative process in the Knesset works like this:
1. First Reading
The government drafts each bill, and reads the first draft to the entire Knesset. The opposition then opens debate on the first draft. When debate is complete, the Knesset votes on whether to return the bill to the government or send it on to committee. Returning the bill to the government effectively kills it, but sending the bill to committee effectively passes it in most cases.
2. Second Reading
After the committee reads and revises the bill, it is read before the Knesset again, and the opposition again gets to open debate. When the second debate is complete, each article of the bill is voted on. Usually, all the articles will pass, and the next stage will start immediately.
3. Third Reading
After the piecemeal-approved bill is read to the Knesset again, the entire thing is then voted on. If the Knesset votes in favor of the bill, it becomes law as soon as it has the signatures of the president, prime minister, speaker, and the MK who introduced it, and the seal of the justice minister.
Now, to clarify what I mean by "vote": For most matters, a majority of the Knesset is fifty percent of the members present at the time, plus one. However, if the bill on the table is a Basic Law intended to become part of Israel's gonna-be-finished-any-day-now constitution, a majority is no less than 61 votes.
See how easy that was? | 
