MKs Submit Request to Replace Knesset Speaker Ohana
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Sixty-seven members of the 26th Knesset have officially requested the removal of Speaker Amir Ohana, proposing MK Matan Kahana as his replacement. The "Change Bloc" aims to hold a vote on Tuesday, as part of agreements to form a new government. The move has sparked strong opposition from the outgoing coalition, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich calling it illegitimate. The success of the bid hinges on securing a majority, potentially complicated by disagreements over Arab party support.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- 67 Knesset members submitted a request to replace Speaker Amir Ohana with Matan Kahana.
- The 'Change Bloc' aims to hold a vote for the new Speaker position as early as Tuesday.
- Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticized the move, calling it illegitimate and morally bankrupt.
- Ra'am Chairman Mansour Abbas stated his party is working to replace the current government.
- The success of the bid depends on securing a majority amid internal disagreements.
A coalition of Israeli lawmakers, referred to as the "Change Bloc," officially submitted a request to replace the current Speaker of the Knesset, Amir Ohana. The request, signed by 67 members of the 26th Knesset, proposes Matan Kahana, a former minister and current MK, as the candidate for the new Speaker. This move comes just before the swearing-in of the 26th Knesset and is a key step in implementing agreements reached among the leaders of the Change Bloc. The bloc aims to hold a vote on the Speaker position as early as Tuesday.
Matan Kahana addressed criticism regarding the coalition's reliance on Arab parties for support, stating, "In what world should we be under Netanyahu?" He added that "most Knesset members did not want him, and they chose Gadi Eisenkot to form a government, and anyone willing to join our principles is invited." The Change Bloc leaders, including Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan, had previously agreed on the distribution of key Knesset roles during the government formation period. Under these agreements, Kahana was slated to become Speaker, Lieberman would head the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and Liran Avishar Ben-Horin would chair the temporary Finance Committee.
The bid to oust Ohana has drawn sharp criticism from the outgoing coalition. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged Kahana not to accept the position if it involved the support of Arab parties, calling such a move "illegitimate" and "moral bankruptcy." Meanwhile, Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Ra'am party, declared that his party is actively working to replace the current government, stating, "The Netanyahu bloc will become the opposition in the Knesset in a few hours." Abbas expressed Ra'am's desire to be part of the next coalition and government.
The composition of various Knesset committees will be discussed and finalized by the Arrangements Committee during the week, with final approval expected from the plenum on Wednesday. The central question remains whether the Change Bloc can secure the necessary majority to oust Ohana and appoint Kahana, given internal disagreements regarding the participation of Arab parties in the vote.
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