Lapid as Knesset speaker, establishing commission of inquiry among options considered by change bloc

The change bloc – made up of Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar!, Naftali Bennett's Beyahad, Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beytenu and Yair Golan's the Democrats – is considering appointing Yair Lapid as Knesset speaker in two weeks, Kan News reported Wednesday evening.

Lapid is one of the bloc’s senior figures but holds the No. 2 spot on the Beyachad list and is not seeking the premiership.

Most of the bloc’s partners have good relations with Lapid. However, no decision has yet been made, and other candidates under consideration include Yisrael Beytenu’s Oded Forer, Yashar!’s Elazar Stern or Orit Farkash, and the Democrats’ Efrat Rayten.

The change bloc believes that the price the Arab parties will demand in exchange for replacing current Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana will primarily involve declarative commitments, meaning the move could be carried out soon.

Afterward, the bloc plans to discuss establishing a state commission of inquiry into the failures of Oct. 7 and repealing the judicial reform laws.