The Constituent Assembly
Israel's Proclamation of Independence of May 14, 1948,
laid down that the elected Constituent Assembly would prepare a constitution for the State of Israel by no later
than October 1, 1948. The elections which were held on February 25, 1949, were,
in fact, elections to the Constituent Assembly, which held only four meetings.
On February 16, 1949, the Assembly adopted the Transition Law, by which it
renamed itself the "first Knesset." Because the
Constituent Assembly did not prepare a constitution for Israel, the Knesset is
the heir of the Assembly for the purpose of fulfilling this function.
Sources: The Knesset |