In its sitting on Tuesday, the Knesset Plenum voted to approve in second and third readings the David Levy Commemoration Center Bill, 2025, sponsored by MKs Shalom Danino (Likud) and Meir Cohen (Yesh Atid). In the vote, 13 Members of Knesset supported the bill, without opposing votes.
It is proposed to establish a center for the commemoration of David Levy, a social and political leader who contributed greatly to advancing Israel’s outlying areas, narrowing gaps and advancing Israel’s foreign relations. The center will promote social and political research, will enhance the familiarity with David Levy’s work and will reflect his personality. The center will be a statutory corporation with a 13-member public council, and will include a commemoration site, a research center and an archive.
The establishment and activity of the center will be funded from the state budget, donations and any revenue the center will generate. The amount of the state’s participation in the center’s budget will not exceed NIS 2.5 million in the first two years, and in the third year it will not exceed NIS 5 million. The Minister of Foreign Affairs will be in charge of implementation of the law.
The explanatory notes to the bill state: “David Levy was a groundbreaking social and political leader, and served as a Member of Knesset, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and in other ministerial posts. As of 1969, when he was first elected to the Knesset, David Levy was an inseparable part of public and social work. For many people, he served as a symbol of the struggle for social equality. He worked extensively to advance Israel’s outlying areas and to reduce social gaps, and was awarded the 2018 Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement. The purpose of the bill is to preserve for posterity the legacy and achievements of David Levy and his great contribution to the State of Israel.”
