Netanyahu Bloc Delays Lieberman's Appointment as Foreign Affairs Committee Chair

The appointment of Avigdor Lieberman as chairman of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee has been delayed after the "Netanyahu bloc" opposed holding the necessary vote within the committee on Wednesday. The vote is now scheduled for Monday, meaning Lieberman will not yet have access to classified intelligence materials, a concern given the heightened risk of a security escalation. Lieberman has stated his intention to summon the Chief of Staff and the head of the Mossad for discussions regarding Iran, citing recent reports of Iranian chemical weapons and attempts to conduct operations through proxies.

The temporary committee was approved, and Lieberman was recommended for the chairmanship, but the final vote within the committee itself was postponed. This delay occurs amidst fears of a rapid security flare-up in one of the arenas. An agreement was reached, however, that the vote could be moved up in the event of an escalation.

One possible reason for the delay is concern within the Netanyahu bloc about a swift agreement between the "change bloc" and ultra-Orthodox parties regarding government formation. Another possibility is an attempt to slow the parliamentary progress of the "change bloc." No official explanation for the opposition has been provided.

In parallel, Gadi Eisenkot, who is tasked with forming the next government, criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu for the delay. Eisenkot questioned Netanyahu's refusal to receive operational updates through official channels and his attempts to postpone the committee's convening. Eisenkot vowed not to allow a vacuum in oversight of the government and to uphold security considerations.

Earlier, Eisenkot had urged Netanyahu to exercise restraint and avoid non-urgent military actions until a new government is sworn in. He also contacted Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to examine the transitional government's authority in making security decisions and requested ongoing security updates. The Prime Minister's office rejected Eisenkot's appeal, claiming security decisions are made professionally and in full coordination, and accused him of politicizing national security issues.