Knesset Approves Steering Committee Composition, Rejects Likud Proposal
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
The Knesset plenum approved MK Roi Folkman's proposal for the composition of the 26th Knesset's Steering Committee with a 63-50 vote, appointing Folkman as its head. The committee will have 22 members, with Likud receiving the largest bloc. The Likud's alternative proposal for an 18-member committee was rejected. The Steering Committee organizes the Knesset's initial work and establishes permanent committees. The Likud criticized the vote, accusing opposing parties of cooperating with "supporters of terrorism."
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Knesset approved MK Roi Folkman's proposal for the Steering Committee 63-50.
- MK Roi Folkman will head the 22-member Knesset Steering Committee.
- The Likud party's proposal for an 18-member committee was rejected.
- Factions' representation is based on relative size, with Likud having the most seats.
- The Steering Committee organizes the Knesset's early work and forms other committees.
- Likud accused opposing parties of cooperating with "supporters of terrorism."
The Knesset plenum approved, by a vote of 63 to 50, Member of Knesset Roi Folkman's proposal for the composition of the Steering Committee. Folkman, from the Yesh Atid faction, will head the committee, which will consist of 22 members. The Likud party's proposal was rejected.
The Steering Committee, responsible for organizing the Knesset's work at the beginning of its term until permanent committees are established, will have its faction representation determined by relative size, with a guaranteed seat for factions of at least four MKs. Representatives from factions elected to the 26th Knesset met last Monday but failed to agree on the proportional allocation.
Following the disagreement, two proposals were brought to a plenum vote: Folkman's and one from Likud's MK Ofir Katz. Folkman's proposal, which passed, sets the committee at 22 members, with one representative per five MKs. Likud will have the largest representation with five members, followed by Yesh Atid with four. Other factions like Hadash-Ta'al, Ra'am, and Meretz will each have two representatives, while Yisrael Beiteinu, Otzma Yehudit, United Torah Judaism, Shas, and Religious Zionism will each have one.
Folkman urged colleagues to reach understandings and reduce disputes, stating, "Good politics for me is pragmatic politics. Decency is something that cannot be legislated, but there are norms and there are laws." He added, "I offered MK Katz understandings on the composition, I am a man of understandings. Disagreeing for the sake of disagreeing is unnecessary and it's a shame to create unnecessary tensions."
Katz's proposal sought a smaller committee of 18 members, with one representative per seven MKs. He claimed the Likud had initially proposed a broader composition of one representative per four MKs, which would have given their bloc 15 seats. He stated that after claims the committee would be too large, they offered a compromise of eight seats for their bloc, seven for the other bloc, and three for Arab MKs. Katz criticized the rejection of his proposal, alleging, "This is a fair offer, but they did not agree because they are trying to hide the cooperation with supporters of terrorism in the Knesset."
The Likud party attacked the vote's outcome, stating, "It has begun. We call on you, come to unity. Cease your collaborations with supporters of terrorism who boycott the national anthem."
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