Eisenkot and Liberman Agree: Matan Kahana to Be Appointed Speaker of the 26th Knesset

In depth

Gadi Eisenkot and Avigdor Liberman, the leaders of the Change Bloc parties, have reached an agreement that Matan Kahana of the Yashar! party will be appointed Speaker of the 26th Knesset. Under the agreement, Roy Folkman will be appointed chair of the Arrangements Committee and Liberman will be appointed chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, with the slates to be brought to a plenum vote for approval. The agreement concerns replacing Amir Ohana as Speaker, after the Yashar faction led by Eisenkot submitted to the Speaker more than 61 signatures of 26th Knesset members demanding his replacement and a vote in the plenum.

Contacts between the bloc leaders ran throughout the week. Eisenkot initially considered appointing himself Speaker, and later Matan Kahana was presented as the candidate for the position. Under the understandings, it was agreed that Kahana would serve temporarily in the position during the mandate period for forming a government, and Roy Folkman would be elected chair of the Arrangements Committee, which will shape the committee slates during the week.

According to the agreements between the bloc leaders, MK Liran Avisar Ben Horin of Together Tomorrow will be appointed chair of the Finance Committee. Naftali Bennett, Yair Golan, Avigdor Liberman and Yair Lapid, leaders of the change parties, took part in shaping the agreements. The appointments will be brought to a plenum vote on Wednesday, before the swearing-in of the 26th Knesset and the start of planned legislation.