The Eisenkot-led bloc has submitted more than 61 lawmakers' signatures seeking a vote to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana with Matan Kahana
Lawmakers from the Joint List and Ra'am supported the move, drawing criticism from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and other right-wing figures
The parliamentary challenge comes as Eisenkot attempts to form a government after receiving President Isaac Herzog's mandate, with the new Knesset beginning its term on Tuesday
Israel's New Knesset Opens With A Showdown Over Netanyahu's Speaker
The opposition has submitted 61 lawmakers' signatures to seek the removal of Speaker Amir Ohana, while nominating Matan Kahana as his replacement. Support from Arab-led parties has drawn criticism from the right.
Summary
Israel's newly elected 26th Knesset convened for its inaugural sitting in Jerusalem on Tuesday as opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot's bloc moved to challenge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's parliamentary influence by seeking to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, a member of Netanyahu's Likud party.
Eisenkot's Yashar party submitted more than 61 lawmakers' signatures to Ohana, requesting a vote on replacing him with former minister Matan Kahana. The submission came after five opposition leaders agreed to nominate Kahana for the post. Ohana has said he would schedule a plenary session to elect his successor within a week if a majority of lawmakers formally requested one.
The agreement was reached by Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid, Yair Golan and Avigdor Liberman. The leaders also agreed to nominate Liberman to head the powerful Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, while incoming lawmaker Liran Avishar Ben-Horin was named as their candidate for the Finance Committee chair. The nominations and committee arrangements still require approval by the Knesset.
Arab Parties Become Pivotal
The move has exposed divisions over the role of Arab-led parties in the emerging opposition arrangement. Joint List lawmaker Ahmad Tibi said his faction would support Kahana's election, describing the replacement of the Speaker as an important first step towards political change.
Lawmakers from both the Joint List and the United Arab List (Ra'am) were among those who signed the request to replace Ohana. However, their backing for the parliamentary move does not establish a commitment to join an Eisenkot-led government.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticised the reliance on Arab lawmakers' support, urging ultra-Orthodox parties not to negotiate with Eisenkot's bloc and calling on Kahana to reject the Speakership if it depended on their votes. The response highlights the ideological disagreements that could complicate efforts to assemble a governing coalition.
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Eisenkot's Government Challenge
President Isaac Herzog appointed Eisenkot to form the government on Sunday, after factions representing 67 lawmakers recommended him, compared with 46 who backed Netanyahu. One faction representing seven lawmakers made no recommendation. Herzog acknowledged that Likud had emerged as the largest party but said Eisenkot had stronger support on the question of who could form a government capable of winning parliamentary confidence.
The final results gave Likud 27 seats, against 21 for Eisenkot's Yashar. Netanyahu's right-wing bloc holds 53 seats, while the Zionist opposition bloc has 48. Arab-led parties hold the remaining 19 in the 120-member Knesset.
Netanyahu has meanwhile proposed a unity government under his leadership, bringing together Zionist and ultra-Orthodox parties. Eisenkot has 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension. The early contest over the Speakership now offers a test of whether his opposition partners can coordinate their parliamentary majority.
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