On Nov. 22, the Knesset passed the first reading of new legislation limiting a prime minister’s term to no more than eight years. Less than a minute after the vote, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was seen scurrying out of the Knesset plenum.

The passing of the first reading was practically inevitable. The law was pushed forward by Justice Minister Gideon Saar, with the enthusiastic support of all members of the coalition. Once it passed, they presented it as a major achievement.

Although the law would not prevent Netanyahu from running — at least not in the immediate future — the spirit of the former prime minister and his many long years in office haunts every letter of the legislation. Opponents of the law will state repeatedly that no other parliamentary democracy has anything comparable.

Justice Minister Saar tried to refute these arguments in a speech to the Knesset right before the vote: “Prolonged rule of one person is a harmful thing. In the face of the dangers of excessive concentration of power, and the resulting corruption, we offer a better and more balanced arrangement.” Saar added he believed the situation over the last few years proved that term limits should be entered into the law books.