国际英语新闻：Israeli parliament passes law requiring referendum on territorial concessions

JERUSALEM, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Knesset (parliament) passed the National Referendum Law on Monday late night by a vote of 65-33.

The new law applies to territories annexed by Israel in the aftermath of the 1967 war, namely East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, requiring any Israeli government engaged in peace negotiations necessitating a withdrawal from East Jerusalem or the Golan Heights (seized from Syria) to attain the consent of the Israeli public.

Israeli Knesset began debating the referendum bill on Monday afternoon. The bill has been approved in second and third readings after many hours of debates.

"A law like this will prevent irresponsible accords in the future, and on the other hand, will allow governments to pass with strong public support any agreement that will answer Israel's national interests," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in support of the legislation, according to local news service Ynet.

Netanyahu had only recently decided to lend his support to the bill. Political sources estimated Netanyahu is seeking to exploit it to appease the right flank of his coalition in light of a possible renewal of the freeze on settlement construction. Kadima, the leading opposition party, voted against the bill.

The bill was initially proposed during the term of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Last December, 68 members of Knesset, including Labor chairman Ehud Barak and Likud minister Dan Meridor, supported the bill while 22 opposed it.