Lieberman to Head Foreign Affairs Committee, MK Ben-Hurin to Lead Finance Committee

The Knesset's Arrangements Committee, chaired by MK Roi Folkman, approved on Wednesday the establishment of two temporary committees: the Finance Committee and the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Following a heated debate, the committee recommended MK Liran Avishar Ben-Hurin from the "B'Tselem" party to head the temporary Finance Committee and Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman to lead the temporary Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Both proposals passed with an identical vote of 13 in favor and 9 against. Each temporary committee will comprise 17 Knesset members.

During the discussion, MKs also addressed concerns about a potential conflict of interest regarding Ben-Hurin's appointment to head the Finance Committee. She responded, "The conflict of interest precedents that apply in the government do not apply in the Knesset. Nevertheless, I am prepared to adhere to the strictest rules. If there is a matter I cannot handle, I will not deal with it and will appoint someone else in my place."

At the start of the session, Arrangements Committee Chairman MK Roi Folkman urged MKs to conduct their disputes respectfully, stating, "We have reached agreements on the distribution. It is part of our responsibility as MKs to establish temporary Finance and Foreign Affairs and Defense committees. I am not lecturing anyone, but there are norms, and one can behave courteously. In the Knesset, every person and their opinions must be respected."

Earlier, the plenum approved the establishment of the Arrangements Committee itself, which will have 22 members. Its members include representatives from Yahadut HaTorah, Shas, and other factions, with specific MKs named from Yisrael Beiteinu, Likud, B'Tselem, the Joint List, Democrats, Ra'am, Otzma Yehudit, and Religious Zionism.