Israeli Opposition Demands Vote to Replace Knesset Speaker
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, has demanded a vote next Tuesday to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana. The opposition's "Change bloc" agreed to oust Ohana but has not yet selected a successor, with Yair Lapid being a contentious candidate. The High Court of Justice recently fined Ohana for violating a ruling on the State Comptroller selection.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Avigdor Lieberman demands a vote next Tuesday to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.
- The "Change bloc" agreed to oust Ohana but has no consensus on his successor.
- Yair Lapid is a contentious candidate for the next Knesset Speaker role.
- Gadi Eisenkot is expected to control the Arrangements Committee if tasked with forming a government.
- The High Court fined Amir Ohana NIS 10,000 for violating a ruling on the State Comptroller.
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, has formally demanded that a vote to replace the current Knesset Speaker, Amir Ohana, be held next Tuesday. This demand follows an agreement among the leaders of the "Change bloc" to oust Ohana, though they have not yet agreed on a successor.
Analyst Amit Segal estimates that Ohana will convene the Knesset to elect a new speaker about a week after Lieberman's proposed date. Leaders of the opposition bloc met at the Dan Accadia Hotel in Herzliya, agreeing that a candidate for speaker would be chosen closer to the session, expected in about 12 days. While there is currently disagreement on who should be the next speaker, the consensus is to bring a permanent appointment forward alongside the formation of a government.
The meeting included leaders of the Change bloc: Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, Yair Golan, and Yair Lapid. This was their first meeting since the election results were published. A key point of contention is the demand to appoint Yair Lapid as the next Knesset Speaker, a demand that has caused division among the bloc's partners.
If Gadi Eisenkot is tasked with forming a government, he is expected to gain control of the Arrangements Committee and the role of Knesset Speaker. However, his partners are hesitant to concentrate so much power in his hands, citing the lack of parliamentary experience within the "Yesh Atid" party as a reason for their push to appoint Lapid instead.
At the end of the meeting, it was clear that no candidate for speaker had been agreed upon, but all parties agreed on the need to oust Amir Ohana. Eisenkot expressed his desire to present a government quickly, but Lieberman and other members of "Yesh Atid" and "Yachad" are reportedly refusing to swear in a government with the support of Arab parties.
Separately, the High Court of Justice ruled this week that Ohana had violated a previous ruling regarding the selection of the State Comptroller, fining him NIS 10,000 in legal costs. The judges described his conduct as a severe blow to the rule of law and governance, but rejected a petition demanding a repeat vote due to the Knesset's dissolution and the election of a new one.
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