Knesset Speaker Ohana Says He'd Allow Replacement If 61-Member Majority Demands It

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana stated on Monday that he would permit his replacement if a majority of 61 lawmakers demands it after the upcoming elections. However, speaking at a Ynet conference, he urged Israeli citizens to prevent such a scenario through their votes, noting that Arab Knesset members would likely be part of such a majority. "If the Speaker of the Knesset is replaced based on these votes, what is there to say," he added.

Ohana addressed the possibility of refusing to convene the plenum for a vote to replace him, a situation previously encountered with former Speaker Yuli Edelstein. He asserted that he would not allow such a process to reach the High Court of Justice again, stating, "We are law-abiding and always have been."

In March 2020, Edelstein, then also Speaker and a Likud member, refused to convene the plenum to elect a permanent speaker, despite 61 Knesset members supporting his replacement. Edelstein argued against electing a permanent speaker before the future coalition's composition was clear. The High Court of Justice unanimously ruled that he must hold the vote by March 25, with then-Supreme Court President Esther Hayut stating that the continued refusal undermined democratic principles.

At the time, Ohana, serving as Justice Minister, encouraged Edelstein to defy the court even before its ruling. When the court demanded Edelstein state whether he would convene the plenum, Ohana tweeted, "If I were the Speaker of the Knesset, I would answer: no." Edelstein ultimately resigned rather than comply with the court's order, writing to the judges that "a matter of conscience does not allow me to comply with your ruling."