Israeli Opposition Agrees on Knesset Speaker and Key Committee Chairs

Leaders of Israel's opposition bloc have reached an agreement on the distribution of key parliamentary posts, even before a new government is formed. The agreement comes as the 26th Knesset was sworn in on Tuesday, November 10, with President Yitzhak Herzog in attendance. Behind the scenes, political maneuvering is underway, with opposition leaders agreeing on candidates for crucial Knesset positions. Their first step will be to remove the current Knesset speaker, who belongs to the Likud party, by submitting a formal request signed by 61 lawmakers. This would obligate the speaker to convene a plenum session within seven days to discuss the matter. Following internal disagreements, the opposition has nominated former minister Matan Kahana for the speaker position. Additionally, agreements were reached on leadership roles for key committees during the transition period. Former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman is slated to head the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, while Liran Avishar Ben-Horin will lead the Finance Committee. New Knesset member Roi Folkman from the Yashar! party will chair the Knesset Arrangements Committee, which oversees parliamentary operations and committee formations. The Yashar! party leader currently holds the mandate to form the government. The distribution of leadership roles carries significant financial and organizational implications. The Finance Committee will soon face substantial budget changes, including approving the transfer of unused funds from 2025 and reviewing requests to cut state expenditures by approximately 1 billion shekels. A dispute also exists between the outgoing coalition and the opposition regarding the allocation of seats in parliamentary committees, with disagreements over the ratio of representatives to Knesset members. The final composition of parliamentary committees is set for approval at a plenum session on Wednesday. These agreements on parliamentary posts were made while Gadi Eisenkot is attempting to assemble a governing coalition, having been tasked by President Herzog after receiving support from 67 Knesset members. However, coalition negotiations are reportedly facing difficulties and internal disagreements within the opposition bloc. For instance, the Democrats party plans to introduce a broad legislative package that includes repealing judicial overhaul laws, limiting the prime minister's term, and advancing social initiatives like state-funded long-term care insurance and public transportation on Saturdays. Lieberman, however, has indicated that judicial reform is not a top priority for him. The future coalition also needs to agree on the mechanism for establishing a planned state investigative commission. The Knesset's 26th term also marks a significant renewal, with 46 out of 120 members being newcomers and 12 returning after a break. New and incumbent lawmakers were greeted with flowers and robot greetings upon their arrival, and they will participate in an official photograph with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Herzog before the parliament begins its full work.