By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli parliament on Monday greenlighted a bill requiring any concession of sovereignty land to be decided by a referendum or a two-thirds majority of the legislature.
Sixty-five lawmakers voted for and 18 against the motion in the first reading, which stipulates that any government decision to cede land must be brought before the parliament, the Knesset, and if the Knesset approves it, a referendum will be held within 180 days.
Should a concession be supported by at least 80 lawmakers in the 120-seat parliament, the matter will not be brought to a referendum, according to the bill.
The requirements will be applied to areas where Israel has full sovereignty, and where it claims that it has full sovereignty, such as the Golan Heights and east Jerusalem.
While the bill makes its way through the Knesset, Israel is preparing to hold this week the third round of indirect peace talks with Syria. Syria have been demanding that Israel return all of the Golan Heights occupied in 1967.