Gadi Eisenkot is moving to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana before he forms a new government.
It is a high-stakes attempt to seize the parliamentary agenda, i24NEWS reported on Sunday. The Yashar party leader intends to swear in a government immediately after the leadership change, aiming to dictate the terms of Israel’s next coalition.
A direct challenge to Netanyahu’s influence
The push to oust Ohana strikes at the heart of parliamentary control. Following recommendations from 67 Knesset members, President Isaac Herzog tasked Eisenkot with forming a government. Now, Eisenkot is racing to solidify his position.
For the opposition bloc, which commands a clear majority, replacing the Likud-affiliated speaker is the prerequisite for their legislative goals. According to The Times of Israel, these priorities include a bill for prime ministerial term limits and a potential inquiry into the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre.
Ohana, a close associate of Netanyahu, has signaled he cannot block a successor vote if at least 61 MKs request it. However, he maintains that the timing is unconventional. “The customary time to elect a Knesset speaker is when a government is formed,” he wrote in a statement.
While he dismissed reports of resistance as “conspiracy theories,” Ynetnews reported that he has pledged to schedule a debate “no later than a week” if the required signatures are submitted.
The ghost of 2020 and the rules of procedure
This maneuver mirrors a 2020 constitutional crisis when Speaker Yuli Edelstein refused to convene the Knesset to vote on his replacement. That standoff ended with a High Court order for Edelstein to act, though he ultimately resigned in violation of the ruling.
The legal battleground is Section 2(b) of the Knesset Rules of Procedure, which The Jerusalem Post notes establishes a deadline for electing a speaker tied to the formation of a government—a rule Eisenkot’s bloc is leveraging to force an early vote.
The argument over whether the speaker can delay the process has deep roots; Hayut previously argued that claiming the election of a permanent speaker is dependent on government formation “amounts to putting the cart before the horse,” as cited in The Jerusalem Post.
Eisenkot seeks to bridge bloc divides and build coalitions
Eisenkot’s path is not a straight line. Despite a theoretical majority, Haaretz reported that deep disagreements persist within his bloc regarding cooperation with Arab and ultra-Orthodox parties.
To bridge these gaps, Eisenkot is scheduled to meet with Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman on Monday. The goal is to finalize a coalition agreement on ministerial roles and guiding principles within the week. Simultaneously, his party is attempting to peel away right-wing Likud members by offering the prospect of a broad-based government to those willing to join.
“We will respect the members of Knesset, and if a majority of them request such a debate, I will schedule it for an earlier date, no later than a week,” Ohana said in a statement to opposition leaders. The Times of Israel
The next critical milestone is the Knesset’s inaugural session on November 10.
