RAMALLAH, October 11 (JMCC) - The Israeli cabinet will support a bill that outlines a referendum that would be held prior to any territorial concessions said the he Knesset's Ministerial Committee on Legislation ruled on Monday

The bill outlines how the referendum would be carried out and how the votes will be tallied, and does not address the actual requirement of holding a referendum. The legislation requiring a referendum has already been passed, but couldn't have been implemented without the procedural legislation.

Despite having advanced the referendum law one step further, the committee decided that a special majority of 80 Knesset members could potentially override the referendum requirement, and approve a territorial withdrawal without referendum.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in response that this development puts into question the government's desire, and ability to lead the peace process. Israel's government, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at its helm, vowed to advance the peace process and therefore must do everything within its power to remove the obstacle placed today on the path to peace with this needless bill, he said.

Read more at Haaretz…