Israel’s new parliament opens with push to replace Netanyahu’s ally in speaker’s chair

Gadi Eisenkot, the former head of the Israeli military, is positioned to take the Knesset speaker role as the new legislature swears in on Tuesday. This move would remove Amir Ohana, a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, from a post that controls the legislative agenda. Eisenkot received a mandate from the president over the weekend to form a coalition government. Israeli media reported on Monday that he may assume the speaker position himself, rather than yielding it to another opposition figure.

The effort to change the leadership of the Knesset has prompted warnings from more than 160 retired security officials. In a letter to serving security chiefs, a group called Democracy’s Protective Wall stated that right-wing activists planned to disrupt the swearing-in ceremony. The letter warned that these actors intend to prevent members of the Knesset and their families from entering the building. Ma’ariv newspaper quoted the letter as saying these actors are encouraging tens of thousands of supporters to gather to help with their mission.

The opposition bloc holds 67 seats in the 120-seat legislature. This majority is sufficient to install a consensus choice for the speaker role. All opposition parties describe Netanyahu as a threat to the state and want to begin moving against him, despite internal divisions. Several Jewish-Israeli parties in the bloc have vowed not to sit with Palestinian-led parties, which hold over a quarter of the bloc's seats. These parties also oppose joining a minority government that has the backing of Palestinian-led groups.

Eisenkot has promised to broker a national emergency government using creative and unconventional political acts. He warned that some campaign promises would need to be broken to unseat Netanyahu. He stated that no one will be able to fulfill all promises and that all parties will need to compromise. He defined leadership as knowing when to decide and set priorities.

Protests have occurred across Israel urging Jewish-Israeli opposition parties to prioritize unseating Netanyahu over excluding Palestinian-led parties. Palestinian citizens of Israel make up about 20% of the population and won 19 seats in this year's election. Without their support, the opposition bloc has fewer seats than Netanyahu’s current coalition. Right-wing leader Avigdor Lieberman is pursuing an alternative path by seeking an alliance with ultra-Orthodox parties. These parties have long supported Netanyahu but are frustrated by his failure to pass broad military draft exemptions for their community.

Lieberman has campaigned for universal conscription but appears willing to compromise on the issue to work with the ultra-Orthodox. Arye Erlich, a leading ultra-Orthodox journalist, questioned in a Yedioth Ahronoth column whether Lieberman, whom he called a persecutor of the Haredi community, would suddenly compromise on the military draft. Erlich asked if Lieberman believed he could sit in a coalition alongside the Haredim.

Eisenkot may delay announcing a coalition deal until the speaker role is changed. Netanyahu is known for fracturing coalitions by luring defectors into his own alliance. Ohana could delay signing in a new government for up to a week, a timeframe some opposition members want to avoid to prevent Netanyahu from attacking a fragile deal. If Eisenkot fails to form a government, the mandate will pass to other leaders. If they also fail, Israel must hold new elections, with Netanyahu and his allies serving as a caretaker government in the interim.