▁bodies ▁in ▁Israel ▁have ▁called ▁for ▁the ▁en act ment ▁of ▁a ▁formal ▁constitution ▁as ▁a ▁single ▁document , ▁and ▁have ▁submitted ▁ideas ▁and ▁draft s ▁for ▁consideration . ▁ ▁The ▁Isra eli ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Independ ence ▁stated ▁that ▁a ▁formal ▁constitution ▁would ▁be ▁form ulated ▁and ▁adopted ▁no ▁later ▁than ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁The ▁dead line ▁set ▁in ▁the ▁declaration ▁of ▁independence ▁proved ▁un real istic ▁in ▁light ▁of ▁the ▁war ▁between ▁the ▁new ▁state ▁and ▁its ▁Arab ▁neighb ors . ▁General ▁elections ▁eventually ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁elect ▁a ▁Const itu ent ▁Assembly ▁which ▁would ▁appro ve ▁the ▁new ▁state ' s ▁constitution . ▁The ▁Const itu ent ▁Assembly ▁conven ed ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 9 . ▁It ▁held ▁several ▁discuss ions ▁about ▁the ▁constitution ▁without ▁reaching ▁an ▁agreement . ▁ ▁For ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁reasons , ▁Israel ' s ▁first ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁David ▁Ben - G ur ion , ▁did ▁not ▁wish ▁to ▁develop ▁a ▁constitution . ▁After ▁only ▁four ▁meet ings , ▁the ▁Const itu ent ▁Assembly ▁adopted ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁the ▁Trans ition ▁Law , ▁by ▁which ▁means ▁it ▁became ▁the ▁" First ▁K ness et ". ▁Because ▁the ▁Const itu ent ▁Assembly ▁did ▁not ▁prepare ▁a ▁constitution ▁for ▁Israel , ▁the ▁K ness et ▁is ▁the ▁he ir ▁of ▁the ▁Assembly ▁for ▁the ▁purpose ▁of ▁ful fill ing ▁this