THE KNESSET.

The article discusses the unicameral legislature of Jerusalem, Israel called the Knesset. It highlights election of the Knesset members, their composition based on diverse social criteria and their proceedings. The 120 members of the Knesset are elected on the basis of a rigid proportional representation system, with the entire country serving as a single constituency. The ballot paper does not contain any names of candidates, but merely the letter or letters by which a given list has been officially designated and any inscription added by the voter to this ballot suffices to invalidate it. Two general trends have been noticed in the Knesset, the reduction in size of the splinter-groups and the unequal momentum of the shifts as between various parties. The religious parties seem to have the most steadfast hold on their followers. The composition of the Knesset members is characterized by diverse social criteria including age, origin, education, sex and occupational structure. The Knesset meets for eight months during the year, three days a week. The members of the Knesset are customarily bound much more by party discipline than is the case with most Western countries. Women members often take a united stand in speech and vote when it comes to the status of women and children. Diversity of attitude is often encountered and tolerated within parties in the Knesset.