Israeli "Change Bloc" Weighs Ousting Knesset Speaker Ahead of Government Formation

Leaders within Israel's "Change Bloc" are reportedly initiating political maneuvers in anticipation of the upcoming 26th Knesset's swearing-in on November 10. Discussions are underway between senior figures from Gadi Eisenkot's Yisrael party, Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu, and Naftali Bennett's Together party. Their aim is to strategize joint actions against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A central point of these discussions is the possibility of replacing the current Knesset Speaker, Amir Ohana of the Likud party, immediately after the new Knesset is sworn in, even before a government is formed. This position holds significant influence over parliamentary agendas and legislative processes. According to a 2020 Supreme Court ruling, a request from 61 Knesset members to vote on a new speaker must be brought to a vote, even pre-government formation.

However, securing a majority for this move would require the support of Arab party Knesset members, a politically sensitive issue. Some within the bloc distinguish between forming a coalition dependent on Arab parties and temporary parliamentary cooperation. They acknowledge the public sensitivity and potential impact on the bloc's support.

Conversely, sources close to Netanyahu indicate plans to counter this move with a broad campaign questioning its public legitimacy. Simultaneously, senior figures in the "Change Bloc" are exploring the formation of a center-right bloc comprising Bennett's, Lieberman's, and Eisenkot's parties. This coordinated political framework aims to strengthen their collective bargaining power in upcoming negotiations with the Likud.

The inclusion of Yair Golan's Democratic party in this center-right bloc is also being considered, though some express reservations due to its left-leaning identity, fearing it might hinder outreach to center-right voters. Political analysts suggest Eisenkot might soon explore forming a government with Bennett and Lieberman. Such a bloc could also diminish the influence of Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit and potentially weaken the Haredi parties.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Joint List told Al Jazeera that the public desires to oust Netanyahu's government, with removing the Prime Minister and Knesset Speaker as the first steps. He accused Netanyahu of seeking to remain as a caretaker prime minister and called for a government without "racists," attributing the escalation of violence in Arab villages to Ben-Gvir. He stated they had not yet reviewed Eisenkot's government formation plan.

These deliberations occur against the backdrop of election results that have not granted a clear majority to either bloc. Preliminary results show Netanyahu's bloc with 53 mandates and the "Change Bloc" with 48, with Arab parties holding 19. The final results are pending the count of double envelopes, which could alter the mandate distribution. With no bloc securing 61 mandates, Arab parties hold a pivotal position. President Isaac Herzog has called for open consultations to avoid further elections.