Knesset to Convene for New Speaker Vote Amid Disruption Claims

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana announced that the Knesset will convene in one week to elect a new speaker. This comes after opposition parties, led by the "Change Bloc," submitted a formal request with 67 signatures to hold the vote. The request officially nominated MK Matan Kahana for the position, following an agreement between leaders Gadi Eisenkot and Avigdor Lieberman.

Ohana stated that despite his strong opposition to the coalition's intentions, he will honor the will of the majority of Knesset members. The move by the Change Bloc aims to gain control of parliamentary proceedings even before a new government is fully formed, potentially creating a situation where the outgoing government retains executive powers while the new parliamentary majority advances its agenda.

Sources within the Change Bloc allege that the Likud party is planning to disrupt the vote. These claims suggest that hundreds of Likud Central Committee members are expected to arrive at the Knesset to physically block MKs from entering the plenum and to cause disturbances during the debate, potentially forcing Ohana to halt the session. The Change Bloc, however, remains determined to proceed with replacing the speaker, regardless of these alleged disruption attempts.

Earlier, leaders Gadi Eisenkot and Avigdor Lieberman met and agreed that the next Knesset Speaker would be from the "Yashar!" party, with speculation that Eisenkot himself might take the role. Their meeting was described as productive, and both expressed confidence in their ability to form a stable government for four years. As part of their coalition agreements, Lieberman is expected to head the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and Liran Avishar Ben Horin will lead the Finance Committee. The vote for a new speaker will also serve as an initial test of Eisenkot's ability to rally a majority for significant actions while coalition negotiations are ongoing.