Israeli Knesset speaker rejects opposition request for vote to replace him at opening session

Outgoing Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana on Thursday rejected an opposition request to hold a vote on replacing him during the new parliament’s opening session next Tuesday, saying such a move would require the signatures of at least 61 lawmakers.

Ohana, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, addressed opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Yousef Jabareen, Yair Golan, Mansour Abbas and Avigdor Liberman in a statement on US social media company X.

“The customary time for electing a Knesset speaker is when the government is formed,” Ohana said.

He said an exception could be made if a letter bearing the signatures of a majority of Knesset members, at least 61 lawmakers, requests an earlier election.

“If the majority asks to hold such a discussion, I will schedule it for an early date and no later than within a week,” Ohana said.

The Oct. 27 parliamentary elections left Netanyahu’s bloc with 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while Jewish opposition parties won 48 seats and Arab-led parties secured 19.

Together, the Jewish opposition and Arab-led parties hold 67 seats, theoretically enough to meet the 61-signature threshold required by Ohana.

According to Israeli daily Haaretz, Yashar, B’Yachad, Yisrael Beytenu and the Democrats had asked Ohana to allow a vote on replacing him during the opening session of the new Knesset.

The Joint List and Ra’am have also expressed support for replacing Ohana, although it remained unclear whether the parties would submit a joint request carrying at least 61 signatures.

Eisenkot said Tuesday that the opposition intended to move quickly on two fronts: forming a national emergency government and taking parliamentary steps, including electing a new Knesset speaker.

Israeli media reported that opposition party leaders were discussing potential candidates for the post and could reach an agreement before Monday, a day ahead of the new Knesset’s opening session.

Meanwhile, representatives of the 11 parties elected to parliament continued consultations Thursday with President Isaac Herzog over whom they recommend to form the next government.

Based on the parties’ publicly announced positions, Eisenkot is expected to secure recommendations from 67 lawmakers, compared with 46 for Netanyahu, if both Arab-led parties formally back the Yashar leader.