Israel's parliament Wednesday approved the first reading of three bills upping the proportion of voters needed to ratify any peace agreement Prime Minister Ehud Barak makes with the Palestinians.
The bills will need three further votes to become law, and in each case will require an absolute majority of 61 in the 120-seat parliament.
The first bill, presented by Silvan Shalom of the right-wing Likud, called for a peace deal to be approved by a majority of the registered Israeli electorate, rather than of those who turn out to vote.
The bill was approved by 50 votes to 38.
Two similar bills, which were also passed, stipulated different proportions. One called for a majority of 55 percent of electors, and the other called for a "special majority" without setting figures - OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AFP)
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