Israel's Knesset Swears In Amidst Political Maneuvering and Coalition Talks

The 26th Knesset is set to be sworn in tomorrow in a festive ceremony, as the political landscape intensifies with crucial decisions looming. Gadi Eisenkot, tasked with forming the next government, achieved a significant understanding with Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman. They agreed that the next Knesset Speaker would be from Eisenkot's National Unity Party, possibly Eisenkot himself. The "Change Bloc" had previously aimed to replace the current Knesset Speaker to gain control of parliamentary proceedings and advance legislation.

However, the coalition makeup for a potential "Change Bloc" government remains unresolved. Lieberman insisted that Eisenkot forgo a minority government supported by Arab parties, promising instead to bring the Haredi parties into the coalition. Lieberman stated that such a government could last four years and that he has no aspirations to be prime minister, suggesting Eisenkot would hold the position.

National Unity Party chairman Naftali Bennett has kept his cards close to his chest, meeting with Eisenkot but releasing no official statement. However, members of Bennett's party expressed their commitment to their election promise of halting state funding to those not serving in the military or civil service, vowing to prioritize "servants" and reverse policies that they claim harmed soldiers.

United Torah Judaism (UTJ) is a key target for the "Change Bloc." While party members are not speaking publicly, editorials in the Haredi press indicate ongoing discussions. "Al-Modi'a," a UTJ mouthpiece, stated the party abstained from recommending a government candidate due to the crisis concerning Torah scholars. The paper emphasized that government participation is not an end in itself, but contingent on ensuring the continuation of Torah study and the status of yeshiva students, demanding "appropriate guarantees" beyond written commitments.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his advisors attempted to dissuade UTJ from aligning with the "Change Bloc," but these efforts failed. Netanyahu's team also tried to arrange a call between the Prime Minister and UTJ leader Rabbi Dov Lando, who refused due to a principled objection to direct talks with "Zionist leaders." Despite this, no final agreements have been reached between the "Change Bloc" and UTJ. The possibility of Yaakov Asher serving as interim Knesset Speaker was also dismissed following the Eisenkot-Lieberman agreement.

Netanyahu has reiterated his call for a "unity government" led by the Likud, the largest party, including all current coalition partners and potentially others. He explicitly opposes a government reliant on Arab parties and advocates for uniting all "Zionist parties." His calls for unity are seen as an attempt to pressure the "Change Bloc" to accept his proposed solution, drawing on past experiences where coalition agreements failed to materialize.