Jerusalem, November 10 (ANI): Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot announced Tuesday that he had reached an agreement with his political partners on candidates for key positions in Israel’s 26th Knesset during the period for forming a new government. Former minister Matan Kahana has been nominated for the speaker’s post, while former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman is set to head the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
In a post on X, Eisenkot said, “I have reached an agreement with my partners, the leaders of the change and reform parties — Naftali Bennett, Yair Golan, Avigdor Liberman, and Yair Lapid — on the prospective candidates for key positions in the 26th Knesset during the period for forming a government.”
“Speaker of the Knesset — former minister and incoming MK Matan Kahana,” he said, announcing the agreed candidates for the parliamentary positions.
Eisenkot further stated that incoming MK Roy Folkman had been nominated to serve as chair of the House Arrangements Committee, while former Defense Minister and MK Avigdor Liberman would chair the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
“In addition, we have agreed on the establishment of the special committees, and details will be published separately at a later date,” Eisenkot said.
He added that the composition of the committees would be discussed and finalized during the House Arrangements Committee’s deliberations this week before being submitted for approval by the Knesset plenary next Wednesday.
According to The Times of Israel, the announcement came ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the 26th Knesset on Tuesday and followed negotiations among opposition parties over which political group would control the speaker’s position.
The report said leaders of the anti-Netanyahu bloc had also agreed to nominate incoming MK Liran Avisar Ben-Horin to head the Finance Committee. She is entering the Knesset for the first time as a member of Bennett’s B’Yachad slate and would become the first woman to head the committee.
The agreement followed several days of negotiations over the speakership. Bennett and Liberman had initially supported Yair Lapid for the position, while Eisenkot insisted that the post remain with his own party. Eisenkot and Liberman reportedly reached an agreement on the matter Monday, according to The Times of Israel.
The change bloc is seeking to replace incumbent Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, as soon as possible.
The Times of Israel reported that Eisenkot had received the mandate to form the next government after securing the backing of 67 lawmakers. His political partners, who command a parliamentary majority, had already submitted requests to replace Ohana, with a vote expected within the coming week.
These parliamentary preparations follow the October 27 elections for Israel’s 120-member legislature, which resulted in a hung parliament after neither major coalition secured the 61 seats required for an absolute majority. Netanyahu’s Likud-led faction secured 53 seats, while opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar alliance won 48 seats.
Despite Netanyahu’s faction securing the larger numerical tally, Eisenkot successfully gathered recommendations from representatives commanding 67 parliamentary seats, compared with 46 for Netanyahu. This total included crucial backing from the assembly’s Arab factions, specifically the Joint List and Ra’am, whose combined 19 seats enabled Eisenkot to formally receive the mandate to form the government from President Isaac Herzog on Sunday, November 8.
Following his formal appointment by Herzog, Eisenkot’s Yashar-led bloc began an intensive effort to secure parliamentary confidence and form the next government.
Eisenkot has been granted an initial period of 28 days to form Israel’s next administration, setting a tight timeline to secure the votes needed to win the Knesset’s confidence. (ANI)
About The Author
