Israeli opposition moves to replace Speaker Ohana, gain control of Knesset leadership

Israeli opposition parties belonging to the “change bloc” are seeking to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, after the new Knesset is sworn in next month, Israeli media reported Friday.

The opposition bloc holds 67 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, compared to 53 for the Netanyahu-led bloc, giving it the numbers needed to replace Ohana.

While the opposition parties remain divided on many issues, Channel 12 political analyst Barak Seri claimed on Friday that the anti-Netanyahu bloc had already reached an agreement to replace Ohana. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the opposition is considering Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid as the next Knesset speaker.

Yair Golan, leader of the left-wing "Democrats" party, told Seri on Friday that the opposition’s priorities after the new Knesset is sworn in would be to replace the speaker, appoint new heads of parliamentary committees, and establish a state commission of inquiry into the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, massacre. According to Seri, the opposition intends to replace Ohana even if it fails to form a new coalition government.

Avigdor Liberman, the head of the right-wing opposition party "Yisrael Beytenu," seeks to unseat Netanyahu but is reportedly reluctant to rely on support from any of the Arab parties. Other opposition parties have reportedly asked Liberman to abstain rather than support the move. As long as he does not vote against the plan, the opposition bloc should have enough support to secure a simple majority to replace Ohana.

Despite the challenges, Golan believes the change bloc will eventually form Israel's next coalition government with support from Arab parties.

Ahead of Tuesday’s Israeli election, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu. However, following the inconclusive results, reports suggest that Trump may be pushing for a national unity government led by Netanyahu and his main political rival, Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar opposition party.

Golan emphasized he would be opposed to a unity government with Netanyahu’s Likud. “Absolutely not. That would be another Netanyahu government… he is a national security risk,” he said. Golan believes the opposition parties “can establish a government and we must establish a government.”

The opposition bloc won 48 seats, falling 13 short of the 61 needed for a Knesset majority. Even with the support of the Arab Ra’am party, which won eight seats, the opposition would have only 56 seats. The Joint List, the other Arab-led party, holds an additional 11 seats.

Meanwhile, Channel 12 reported that Liberman and Lapid are scheduled to meet on Saturday. Liberman has opposed forming a coalition with Arab parties that have refused to condemn Hamas as a terrorist group. “We will not sit with supporters of terrorism!” Liberman wrote on Facebook, referring to controversial statements and actions made by Arab lawmakers from the Ra’am and the Joint List parties.

“Anyone who wants to rely on supporters of terrorism is welcome to do so,” he continued. “Yisrael Beytenu will not be part of it.”

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