Gadi Eisenkot Seeks to Replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana
Gadi Eisenkot and Avigdor Liberman agreed to appoint a Yashar party representative as Knesset speaker to gain parliamentary control during government formation.
Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, who holds the mandate to form a national emergency government, is leading an effort to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana during the 26th Knesset's inaugural session. Eisenkot and Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman reached an agreement on Monday to appoint a representative from Yashar, likely Eisenkot himself, to the speaker position. This move aims to grant the opposition bloc greater control over the parliamentary agenda and prevent delays in the swearing-in of a new government.
To force a vote on the replacement, at least 61 lawmakers must sign a formal request. Amir Ohana, a Likud member, stated he would set a date for the debate within a week if that threshold is met. While Eisenkot sought support from the ultra-Orthodox Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) parties to join the opposition bloc in this bid, UTJ Chairman Yaakov Asher rejected the request, arguing that the speaker should only be replaced simultaneously with the formation of a new government.
In broader coalition talks, Liberman urged Eisenkot to reject support from Arab parties in favor of Haredi parties to ensure stability. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly attempted to pressure ultra-Orthodox leaders to oppose an Eisenkot-led government, though some of these efforts were rebuffed. Negotiations with UTJ remain complicated by disputes over military conscription for yeshiva students.
