In Israel, a Knesset newly sworn in has handed its majority to an opposition that is still too fractured to govern, and the country now waits on a former military chief to stitch together a coalition within six weeks. Behind the procedural maneuvering lies a longer human question: whether a nation exhausted by elections and war can find enough common ground to loosen the grip of a leader who has dominated its politics for nearly two decades. The answer may hinge less on grand bargains than on a single vote over who will hold the speaker's gavel, a small hinge on which a large turn of history m
Israeli Opposition Moves to Seize Knesset Agenda as Eisenkot Gets Mandate to Form Government
Too divided to form a government, but united enough to take the agenda
Mark
Why does the speaker matter so much if the opposition can't even form a government?
Mimi
Because the speaker sets the Knesset's agenda. Replace Ohana and the opposition can move bills on a 7 October inquiry and term limits without a coalition.
Mark
So the legislature becomes a separate source of power from the government.
Mimi
Yes, and that's the point. Even if Netanyahu stays on as caretaker, his grip would be weaker.
Luke
Careful, though. The opposition has a majority, but the source says they're divided. Whether that majority holds together on a speaker vote is something we'll only learn next Tuesday.
Mark
And the six weeks for Eisenkot?
Mimi
If he can't build a deal, a second candidate, probably Netanyahu, gets a chance. Failing that, likely another election.
Luke
Note the word probably. Who gets the second mandate isn't settled in the reporting.
Mark
What about Netanyahu's speech?
Mimi
He called two Palestinian-led parties' lawmakers "terror supporters." Golan and Segalovich walked out, and Eisenkot called it shameful.
Luke
The fraud claims are worth separating out. Election officials say there was no evidence of irregularities affecting the result. That part isn't contested in the reporting.
Mark
So what's the thing to watch?
Mimi
Next Tuesday's vote, and whether Herzog's plea for compromise means anything in the coalition talks.
Der Puls
- The opposition holds a Knesset majority but cannot yet form a government, and the clock is already ticking.
- Netanyahu's swearing-in speech branded Palestinian-backed lawmakers as terror supporters, prompting a walkout and sharp condemnation from Eisenkot.
- Opposition parties are racing to replace speaker Amir Ohana, a Netanyahu loyalist who controls the legislative agenda, in a vote set for next Tuesday.
- Priority bills on a 7 October inquiry, prime ministerial term limits and reversal of the judicial overhaul are already filed and waiting.
- Eisenkot is trying to bridge promises that contradict each other, and failure could send Israel back to the polls.
In Israel, a Knesset newly sworn in has handed its majority to an opposition that is still too fractured to govern, and the country now waits on a former military chief to stitch together a coalition within six weeks. Behind the procedural maneuvering lies a longer human question: whether a nation exhausted by elections and war can find enough common ground to loosen the grip of a leader who has dominated its politics for nearly two decades. The answer may hinge less on grand bargains than on a single vote over who will hold the speaker's gavel, a small hinge on which a large turn of history might swing.
Within moments of the new Knesset being sworn in on Tuesday, Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party filed a series of bills backed by other opposition parties. It was an early sign of how fast the opposition means to use its majority, even though it is still too divided to form a government.
Eisenkot, a former military chief, now holds the mandate to assemble a coalition. He has six weeks. If he fails, Benjamin Netanyahu likely gets a turn, and a second failure would probably send the country back to the polls. Eisenkot calls his path "extraordinarily complex" because parties made incompatible promises during the campaign, and he describes removing Netanyahu as a national emergency that might require breaking some of them.
The opposition is also working through the speaker's chair, which sets the agenda. It has asked for a vote to replace Amir Ohana, a Netanyahu loyalist, on next Tuesday. Once that happens, the opposition could advance key legislation even if coalition talks stall, and it has nominated candidates for the defence and finance committees.
The bills reveal the priorities: a state inquiry into the 7 October 2023 attacks, term limits that could bar Netanyahu from returning, and reversal of the judicial overhaul that weakened courts and the attorney general. Netanyahu has led the country for 19 of the last 30 years, and a stalemate would keep him in place as caretaker.
The swearing-in itself was tense. Netanyahu attacked two Palestinian-led parties whose voters were crucial to his defeat, calling their lawmakers terror supporters. Eisenkot called the speech delusional and shameful, and several lawmakers walked out. President Isaac Herzog urged them to reach across rivals and seek compromise. The first test arrives next Tuesday.
Within moments of the new Knesset being sworn in on Tuesday, Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party filed a series of bills, backed by other opposition parties. It was the first sign of how quickly the opposition intends to use its majority in the legislature, even though it is still too divided to form a government.
Eisenkot, a former Israeli military chief, now holds the presidential mandate to try to assemble a coalition. He has six weeks. If he fails, a second candidate, probably Benjamin Netanyahu, gets a turn. A second failure would likely send the country back to an election. Eisenkot has acknowledged that his path is "extraordinarily complex" because different parties made incompatible promises during the campaign. He has described removing Netanyahu as a national emergency that might require breaking some of them.
The opposition's parallel strategy runs through the speaker's chair. The speaker sets the Knesset's agenda, and the opposition has requested a vote to replace Amir Ohana, a Netanyahu loyalist. Ohana has scheduled that vote for next Tuesday, the latest date available to him. Once he is replaced, the six opposition parties could work on key legislation even if coalition talks collapse. They have also nominated candidates to take over the key defence and finance committees.
The bills tabled so far show the priorities. They include a state commission of inquiry into the 7 October 2023 attacks and term limits for Israeli prime ministers, which could keep Netanyahu from returning to power. He has led the country for 19 of the last 30 years. Other bills would reverse the "judicial overhaul" Netanyahu pursued, which weakened the judiciary and the attorney general.
The stakes of the timing are plain. Prolonged negotiations or a fresh election would keep Netanyahu in place as caretaker prime minister. If the fractured opposition can pass key legislation, though, his hold on the state would loosen regardless.
Netanyahu used the swearing-in to attack two Palestinian-led opposition parties, whose voters were essential to unseating his coalition. He called their lawmakers "terror supporters." Eisenkot condemned the speech as "delusional, divisive, hate-filled and shameful," saying it exploited a state occasion and showed the prime minister was unfit for office. Yair Golan, leader of the centre-left Democrats, walked out in protest. So did Yoav Segalovich, a Jewish-Israeli former police chief who ran on the slate of the Islamist Ra'am party.
Palestinian citizens make up about 20% of Israel's population. Netanyahu put attacks on these voters and their parties at the centre of his campaign. Since polling day he has promoted groundless accusations of fraud in their communities to undermine the result. Election officials say there was no evidence of irregularities that affected the outcome or compromised the election's integrity.
President Isaac Herzog urged lawmakers to do everything possible to avoid a second election. "Reach out a hand for compromise, even between rivals," he said, asking them to look upon one another with generosity. The first test comes next Tuesday, when the Knesset votes on its speaker.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
Eisenkot called Netanyahu's speech "delusional, divisive, hate-filled and shameful."— Gadi Eisenkot
Reach out a hand for compromise, even between rivals.— President Isaac Herzog
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