The position is largely an apolitical and ceremonial role, and is not considered a part of any Government Branch.

The President's ceremonial roles include signing every law (except those pertaining to the President's powers) and international or bilateral treaty, ceremonially appointing the Prime Minister, confirming and endorsing the credentials of ambassadors, and receiving the credentials of foreign diplomats.

Under sections 7 to 14 of Basic Law: The Government, the Prime Minister is nominated by the President after consulting party leaders in the Knesset; the appointment of the Prime Minister and cabinet is in turn confirmed by a majority vote of confidence from the assembled Knesset members.

[4] As head of government, the Prime Minister makes foreign and domestic policy decisions which are voted on by the cabinet.

This forum is designed to coordinate diplomatic negotiations, and to make quick and effective decisions in times of crisis and war.

Many ministries are located in the Kiryat Ben Gurion Government complex in the area of Givat Ram in Jerusalem.

[7] The State Comptroller, who supervises and reviews the policies and operations of the government, is elected by the Knesset in secret ballot.

Its 120 members are elected to 4-year terms through party-list proportional representation (see electoral system, below), as mandated by the 1958 Basic Law: The Knesset.

All Israeli citizens 18 years of age and older may participate in legislative elections, which are conducted by secret ballot.

As the legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset has the power to enact and repeal all laws.

It also has the power to remove the President and State Comptroller from office, revoke the immunity of its members, and to dissolve itself and call new elections.

The February 2009 elections produced five prominent political parties; Kadima, Likud, Israel Beytenu, Labor and Shas, each with more than ten seats in the Knesset.

Voting in general elections takes place using the highest averages method of party-list proportional representation, using the d'Hondt formula.

Polling locations are open throughout Israel; absentee ballots are limited to diplomatic staff and the merchant marine.

The low vote-threshold for entry into parliament, as well as the need for parties with small numbers of seats to form coalition governments, results in a highly fragmented political spectrum, with small parties exercising extensive power (relative to their electoral support) within coalitions.

[12] The president selects the prime minister as the party leader most able to form a government, based on the number of parliament seats their coalition has won.

This electoral system, inherited from the Yishuv (Jewish settlement organization during the British Mandate), makes it very difficult for any party to gain a working majority in the Knesset and thus governments generally form on the basis of coalitions.

Over the years, the peace process, the role of religion in the state, and political scandals have caused coalitions to break apart or have produced early elections.

In November 1985, the Israeli government informed the United Nations Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory International Court of Justice jurisdiction.

The state maintains and finances Rabbinical, Sharia and various Canonical courts for the needs of the various religious communities.

Jewish religious courts are under control of the Prime Minister's Office and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

It considers and judges over appeals submitted by the Military Advocate General, which challenges decisions rendered by the lower courts.