by Shir Perets, Keshet Neev
Following Yashar's request, UTJ party chairman MK Yakov Asher said the party would not support efforts to replace Ohana before a new government is formed.
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The Yashar party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, invited the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) on Monday to join the opposition bloc's effort to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana during the inaugural session of the 26th Knesset on Tuesday.
Following Yashar's request, UTJ party chairman MK Yaakov Asher said the party would not support efforts to replace Ohana before a new government is formed.
"United Torah Judaism's principled position is that the replacement of the Knesset speaker should take place simultaneously with the formation of a new government, rather than upon the convening of the Knesset," Asher's statement said.
"Our position is that this is the appropriate and customary practice, as it has been in the past, with very few exceptions. This is intended to prevent an absurd situation in which a Knesset speaker could be elected who would be opposed to the government that is formed."
To replace the Knesset speaker, at least 61 MKs must formally sign a request or vote to elect a new speaker.
Replacing Ohana, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud, would give the opposition bloc greater control over the parliamentary agenda, including votes, legislation, and committee appointments, even if Netanyahu remains in office as head of a caretaker government.
Ohana stated last week that he would not hold a vote to replace the Knesset speaker on the day of the inaugural ceremony, but would instead schedule it for the following week if a formal request with sufficient support was submitted.
Incoming MK Roy Folkman, who chairs the Yashar's Knesset faction, sent letters to the heads of both haredi factions inviting them to join the effort. The process of collecting signatures ahead of submitting the formal request is already underway, Yashar stated.
Replacing the Knesset speaker earlier would give the opposition bloc more time to advance its legislative agenda.
The move also signals the opposition bloc's willingness to work with the haredi parties, and comes as party leaders in the bloc have recently opened the door to negotiations with them.
The opposition bloc had previously drawn a red line against partnering with the haredi parties, but has now presented doing so as an alternative path toward forming a government amid the political deadlock between the opposition bloc and Netanyahu's camp following the October 27 elections.
Shas has not openly expressed an intention to partner with the opposition bloc and instead recommended Netanyahu to the president last week as its candidate to form the next government.
This contrasts with the Ashkenazi haredi party United Torah Judaism, which abstained from recommending a candidate to President Isaac Herzog, despite having long been a key coalition partner of Netanyahu. There have been reported tensions between UTJ and the prime minister over legislation concerning the haredi draft during the previous government's term.
The Yashar leader has said that he is open to partnering with MKs from other parties as long as they support the four principles he has recently laid out.
Eisenkot calls on opposition leaders to form 'national emergency gov't'
Eisenkot has called on the opposition bloc to act quickly to form a "national emergency government" and pursue parliamentary measures, including replacing the Knesset speaker immediately after the new Knesset is sworn in. He has also said that once the new Knesset is sworn in, he plans to repeal laws that "threaten democracy."
Meanwhile, the opposition bloc has yet to agree on who should replace Ohana. Party leaders concluded their last joint meeting without reaching a consensus and set Monday as the deadline for a decision, ahead of the Knesset's swearing-in.
Under one proposal being considered, Eisenkot would be Knesset speaker and resign if he succeeds in forming a government and becomes prime minister. If he fails to form a government, Eisenkot could remain in the position and retain influence over the parliamentary agenda.
Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman announced last week that he would support B'Yachad's Yair Lapid for Knesset speaker and is reportedly expected to meet with Eisenkot on Monday to discuss the matter.
Eisenkot officially received the mandate to form a government from President Isaac Herzog on Sunday during an official ceremony at the President's Residence, as the opposition bloc continued its efforts to secure coalition partners and replace Netanyahu.
The Yashar leader said at the ceremony that "creative and unconventional political steps" would be required to form a government, reiterating his call for a "national emergency government."
The opposition bloc lacks the 61-seat Knesset majority required to form a government. The election results showed that Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats in the next Knesset, while the opposition bloc won 48.
The political deadlock could ultimately lead to another election, although the parties can still reach an agreement through coalition negotiations.
By law, Eisenkot has 28 days to form a government starting Sunday, and the president may grant an extension of up to 14 additional days if necessary.
Other possible outcomes include a unity government between Netanyahu and members of Eisenkot's bloc, or a minority government.
Shir Perets, Keshet Neev
Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-914332
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