Knesset Approves Committee Makeup, Rejecting Likud's Proposal

The Knesset plenum approved the composition of the 26th Knesset's Arrangements Committee on Wednesday, adopting a proposal by Member of Knesset Rooie Folkman of the Yesh Atid party. The vote passed with 63 in favor and 50 against, while a competing proposal from Likud's MK Ofir Katz was rejected. This decision is significant as the Arrangements Committee plays a crucial role in the early stages of a new Knesset's work, including establishing permanent committees and setting work procedures. Folkman's approved proposal includes 22 members, with representation allocated based on party size. The Likud party will have the largest contingent with five members, followed by Yesh Atid with four. Other parties like Hadash, the Joint List, Ra'am, and Meretz will each have two representatives, while smaller parties will have one each. The Arrangements Committee is empowered to recommend the formation of permanent Knesset committees and can also establish temporary committees for finance and foreign affairs and defense until the permanent ones are formed. It also holds authority over internal Knesset affairs and proceedings until the Knesset Committee is elected. The committee is expected to convene soon to select temporary committees and recommend their chairpersons. By law, the Arrangements Committee chairman must be from the party of the Knesset member tasked with forming the government, and party representation must reflect their relative size, ensuring at least one member from parties with four or more MKs.