Israel's Knesset Faces Key Battles After Election Uncertainty

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Following Israeli elections, the composition of the 26th Knesset remains uncertain, with pollsters having largely misjudged the results. Two major political battles are emerging: one for the Knesset Speaker position and a more critical fight for control of the Arrangements Committee, which sets the legislative agenda. The ability to form a government is still unclear, and President Isaac Herzog may use his pardon power to break the deadlock.

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Knesset election results are still being finalized, with pollsters having significantly misjudged the outcome.
Two major political battles are emerging: for Knesset Speaker and control of the Arrangements Committee.
The opposition seeks to pass legislation, including barring indicted individuals from forming a government.
Forming a government remains uncertain, with both blocs appearing short of a majority.
President Isaac Herzog may use his pardon power to break the political deadlock.

With election results still being finalized, Israeli political analysts suggest that most pre-election polls significantly misjudged the outcome for the 26th Knesset. The closest projection to the actual results came from pollster Tzuriel Sharon of Direct Polls, via i24NEWS. However, definitive understanding of the Knesset's composition and the bloc alignments will take another 48 hours, as two major political battles loom before the question of government formation.

The first confrontation is for the position of Knesset Speaker. The opposition bloc aims to replace Amir Ohana, requiring only a consensus candidate from their ranks and cooperation from Arab parties, who have indicated willingness to support such a move. This could be a temporary appointment until a government is formed.

The more significant parliamentary battle centers on control of the Arrangements Committee, which dictates the legislative agenda until a new government is sworn in. This committee holds critical influence as permanent Knesset committees are not yet elected. Typically, the committee is chaired by a member from the party tasked by the President with forming a government. The opposition bloc seeks to pass key legislation, such as a law barring indicted individuals from forming a government or repealing parts of the previous government's judicial reforms. Achieving this requires the opposition leader, currently Gadi Eisenkot, to receive the presidential mandate, which depends on party recommendations. Arab parties have stated their support is not free, demanding commitments that could prove costly if Eisenkot fails to form a government and the country faces new elections.

The overarching question remains whether a government can be formed or if Israel will head to another election within six months. Both the opposition and Netanyahu's bloc appear far from securing a majority. President Isaac Herzog possesses a potentially powerful, though constitutionally contentious, tool: the power of pardon. Strategic use of this power could break the current bloc deadlock and potentially forge a broader Zionist coalition, enabling Israel to address its pressing challenges.