Ultra-Orthodox Party Rejects Bid to Replace Knesset Speaker Before Government Formation
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
United Torah Judaism rejected a request from Gadi Eisenkot's New Movement party to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana before a new government is formed. UTJ faction chairman Yaakov Asher stated that replacing the Speaker should occur simultaneously with government formation, not just the Knesset's convening. The New Movement had sought to gather signatures for Ohana's removal prior to coalition talks, but UTJ's refusal hinders this effort.
The story in 4 lines · by baba
- United Torah Judaism rejected a request to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.
- The party cited its principled stance that Speaker changes should coincide with government formation.
- The New Movement party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, initiated the request.
- UTJ's refusal obstructs the "change bloc's" plan to replace the Speaker before coalition talks conclude.
United Torah Judaism (UTJ) has rejected a request from Gadi Eisenkot's New Movement party to join an effort to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana during the opening session of the 26th Knesset. In a letter sent on Monday, UTJ faction chairman MK Yaakov Asher informed New Movement faction chairman Roni Folkman that his party does not support replacing the Knesset Speaker before a new government is formed.
Asher stated that UTJ's "principled position is that the replacement of a Knesset Speaker should be done concurrently with the formation of a new government, not with the convening of the Knesset." He explained that this has been the accepted practice in the past, with only one exception, and warned against a situation where "the Knesset Speaker would be confrontational to the government that is established."
The response comes hours after the New Movement party, led by Eisenkot, officially approached Shas and UTJ, asking them to join the signature collection to replace Ohana at the opening session. This move was intended to allow the "change bloc" to advance the replacement of the Knesset Speaker even before the completion of coalition negotiations, but UTJ's reply poses an obstacle to the initiative.
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