Glossary

Terms used on the vote pages, in plain words. Next to each is the Hebrew term as it appears in Knesset documents.

Plenum מליאה: The full sitting of all 120 members. The votes on this site are plenum votes; committee votes are not included.
Knesset (the 25th Knesset) הכנסת ה־25: The Knesset elected in one election. It usually serves until the next election: by law up to four years, in practice often less.
Faction (party) סיעה: A group of members in the Knesset. Usually matches a list that won seats in the election, but it can split or merge with another. The site shows a member's faction on the day of the vote, not today's.
Preliminary reading קריאה טרומית: The first vote on a member's bill: the Knesset decides whether to consider it at all. A committee then prepares the text.
First reading קריאה ראשונה: A vote on the bill after committee preparation (government bills start here). If it passes, it goes back to committee for further work.
Second reading קריאה שנייה: Votes on the sections of the final text and on reservations (amendments) to them. Usually held the same day as the third reading.
Third reading קריאה שלישית: The final vote. A bill that passes its third reading becomes law.
Reservation הסתייגות: An amendment to the bill's text in second reading, usually from the opposition. Each reservation is voted on separately, so one law can have hundreds of votes. “For” in such a vote is for the amendment, not for the law.
Vote on sections הצבעה על סעיפים: In second reading the sections of the bill are approved one by one or in groups. The final position on the law shows in the third reading.
Quorum and majority מניין חוקי ורוב: The plenum has no quorum: a law passes by a simple majority of those voting, even if only a few members are in the hall. That is why uncontroversial bills often pass with 10–20 votes. A majority of all 120 members (61 votes) is needed only for some decisions: a no-confidence motion and changes to entrenched provisions of Basic Laws.
No-confidence motion הצעת אי-אמון: A motion to replace the government. To pass it needs at least 61 votes for and an agreed candidate for prime minister.
Private member's, government and committee bills הצעת חוק פרטית / ממשלתית / של ועדה: A private bill is introduced by a member and goes through a preliminary reading. A government bill is introduced by the government and starts at the first reading. A committee bill is prepared by a Knesset committee.
Coalition and opposition קואליציה ואופוזיציה: The coalition is the factions supporting the government; the rest are the opposition. The coalition can change during a Knesset term.
The “Norwegian law” החוק הנורבגי: A minister can resign their Knesset seat, which passes to the next person on the list. If the minister leaves the government, they return to the Knesset. So faction rosters change.
Roll-call record הצבעה שמית: A record of how a specific member voted. No record does not mean the member was absent: they may have been in the hall and not voted. More in the methodology.
Present, did not vote נוכח: The member registered as present but did not choose for, against or abstain.