Israel Opposition Names Knesset Speaker Pick, Eyes Netanyahu Ouster
(MENAFN) Israeli opposition parties working to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed on Tuesday to put forward former minister Matan Kahana as the next Knesset speaker and Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman as chairman of parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, according to a joint statement.
An Israeli news outlet reported that the deal was struck by Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, Lieberman, Naftali Bennett of the Together bloc, Democrats chairman Yair Golan and opposition leader Yair Lapid.
Kahana, ranked fifth on Eisenkot’s Yashar list, emerged as the choice after several days of talks over who would lead the Knesset. The parties further agreed that incoming Together lawmaker Liran Avishar Ben-Horin will chair the Finance Committee.
Committee assignments are expected to be finalized this week and sent to the Knesset for approval on Wednesday, the statement said.
The announcement came ahead of Tuesday’s swearing-in of Israel’s 26th Knesset. The opposition is aiming to replace current Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana of Netanyahu’s Likud party. Ohana has said he would schedule a debate on choosing his successor within a week if a majority of lawmakers formally request it.
The obstacle is arithmetic: Eisenkot’s four-party bloc controls 48 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, well short of the 61 votes required to oust Ohana.
On Sunday, President Isaac Herzog formally tasked Eisenkot with forming a government after receiving recommendations from 67 lawmakers, compared with 46 for Netanyahu. Eisenkot has 28 days to assemble a coalition, with a possible extension of up to 14 days.
An Israeli news outlet reported that the deal was struck by Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, Lieberman, Naftali Bennett of the Together bloc, Democrats chairman Yair Golan and opposition leader Yair Lapid.
Kahana, ranked fifth on Eisenkot’s Yashar list, emerged as the choice after several days of talks over who would lead the Knesset. The parties further agreed that incoming Together lawmaker Liran Avishar Ben-Horin will chair the Finance Committee.
Committee assignments are expected to be finalized this week and sent to the Knesset for approval on Wednesday, the statement said.
The announcement came ahead of Tuesday’s swearing-in of Israel’s 26th Knesset. The opposition is aiming to replace current Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana of Netanyahu’s Likud party. Ohana has said he would schedule a debate on choosing his successor within a week if a majority of lawmakers formally request it.
The obstacle is arithmetic: Eisenkot’s four-party bloc controls 48 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, well short of the 61 votes required to oust Ohana.
On Sunday, President Isaac Herzog formally tasked Eisenkot with forming a government after receiving recommendations from 67 lawmakers, compared with 46 for Netanyahu. Eisenkot has 28 days to assemble a coalition, with a possible extension of up to 14 days.
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