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Opposition parties in Israel are seeking to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana during the inaugural session of the 26th Knesset on November 10, with their combined parliamentary strength giving them the numbers to elect his successor, although disagreements over a replacement candidate remain unresolved, The Times of Israel reported.
The move follows separate letters from Yisrael Beytenu and the Democrats demanding that the election of a new speaker be placed on the agenda of the opening session on November 10. Responding to the demands, Ohana, a Likud lawmaker, said that he would schedule an early discussion on electing his successor if at least 61 lawmakers formally requested it. The customary time to elect a Knesset speaker is when the government is formed, Ohana wrote in a statement addressed to leaders of the four-party Jewish-led opposition bloc and the Arab parties. The exception, he said, would be if a letter was signed by at least 61 lawmakers requesting an earlier election. 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 from now, he said. Ohana also said that he would not resist giving up his position as speaker, adding, The media can stop promoting conspiracy theories. Following his statement, the Arab-majority Joint List announced that it would also formally request him to convene an urgent, immediate session to elect a new speaker. Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party also joined the demand, submitting its own letter to Ohana. The party further said that it had begun collecting signatures from incoming lawmakers in support of a vote to replace the current speaker, with plans to submit the formal request before the new parliament convenes, The Times of Israel reported. The opposition's six parties secured 67 of the Knesset's 120 seats in last week's election, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies lost their parliamentary majority. This gives the opposition sufficient numbers to elect a new speaker through a simple-majority vote, provided they agree on a candidate. The election of a Knesset Speaker is separate from the formation of a new government, which could take weeks or months. Therefore, the opposition can seek to replace Ohana as soon as the new parliament convenes without first forming a government, according to The Times of Israel. The speaker holds considerable influence over parliamentary proceedings and, together with the deputies, plays an important role in determining the legislative agenda. Ohana cannot block the election of his successor if the required majority supports a candidate. However, differences remain over who should take the position. Naftali Bennett's B'Yachad party has proposed outgoing Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, whose candidature is also backed by Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman. Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party, however, reportedly wants the position to go to one of its own lawmakers, a demand rejected by the other opposition parties. The lack of agreement over Lapid's candidature has left the opposition without a consensus successor despite its numerical strength, The Times of Israel reported. (ANI)
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