United Torah Judaism Refuses Opposition Bid to Replace Knesset Speaker

United Torah Judaism (UTJ) will not join the opposition's request to replace the outgoing Knesset Speaker, Amir Ohana, upon the Knesset's swearing-in, announced UTJ chairman Yaakov Asher on Monday. Asher stated that UTJ's principled stance is that a Knesset Speaker should only be replaced concurrently with the formation of a new government, not just the Knesset's establishment. This, he explained, is to prevent an "absurd situation" where the Knesset Speaker might be antagonistic to the incoming government. UTJ has not yet decided whether to support, oppose, or abstain on the matter if it comes to a vote.

Last week, parties within the Leader of the bloc's bloc demanded that Ohana convene a session to replace him when the Knesset is sworn in on Tuesday. Six parties, including Yisrael Beiteinu, the Joint List, and Ra'am, sent letters to Ohana on the issue. Ohana responded that a discussion on his replacement requires a letter signed by 61 Knesset members, and he would schedule it within a week of receiving the signatures. Agreement on a candidate from the bloc has not yet been reached among the bloc leaders.

The Leader of the bloc officially received the mandate to form a government from President Yitzhak Herzog on Sunday. He stated the necessity of forming a "national emergency government" and called for "creative and unusual political moves" to ensure no Israelis feel excluded. However, the Leader of the bloc is not expected to inform Herzog this week that he has succeeded in forming a government. Even if he forms one this week, he is anticipated to wait and swear it in only after the Knesset Speaker is replaced by a representative from one of the bloc's parties.