Members of the Israeli parliament voted 63 to 50 on Wednesday to approve the composition of the Arrangements Committee. This move allows the bloc opposing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to assume control over the parliamentary agenda. The committee will determine the makeup of other legislative bodies and can establish temporary Finance and Foreign Affairs and Defense committees.
The approved panel consists of 22 members, a proposal put forward by Yashar MK Roy Folkman, who will serve as chair. The anti-Netanyahu bloc and the pro-Netanyahu bloc each secured nine seats, while the Arab-led Joint List and Ra’am parties received four seats in total. This allocation was decided after Likud attempted to secure a more favorable distribution that would have given the pro-Netanyahu side 15 seats, a proposal that was ultimately rejected.
The committee’s first meeting on Wednesday afternoon was marked by significant disruption. Lawmakers from Likud and its allies frequently interrupted proceedings and exchanged sharp criticisms with their opponents. Tensions escalated when Democrats MK Naama Lazimi referred to Likud MK Erez Tadmor as a weapons thief, a reference to his past conviction for stealing military equipment. Tadmor responded by calling Lazimi a hen and a road blocker, leading to accusations of misogyny and sarcasm from the floor.
The chaotic session saw two lawmakers, Otzma Yehudit MK Tally Gotliv and Likud MK Almog Cohen, removed from the room after repeated interruptions. Despite the disorder, the committee proceeded to appoint Avigdor Liberman as chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and B’Yachad MK Liran Avisar Ben Horin as chair of the Finance Committee. Both new committees will have 17 members, and their establishment was approved by a vote of 13 to 9.
Avisar Ben Horin faced scrutiny regarding potential conflicts of interest due to her husband, Itay Ben Horin, who is a partner in a prominent public relations firm. Addressing these concerns, she stated that she would adhere to the strictest ethical rules and recuse herself from any matters where a personal interest might exist. Meanwhile, reports indicate that Ra’am No. 2 Yoav Segalovitz is set to become the first representative of an Arab-majority party to serve on the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
Prime Minister Netanyahu maintained an affable tone on Wednesday, suggesting that a national unity government remains possible. This marked a shift from his previous day’s speech, where he had criticized the formation of a government without his participation. He told reporters in the Knesset halls that the nation knows how to unite at critical moments and that he would continue reaching out to potential coalition partners, even after President Isaac Herzog handed the mandate to Gadi Eisenkot.
Legislative work continued despite the political uncertainty. The B’Yachad party introduced a bill to expand benefits for reservists and discharged soldiers, including childcare support and tuition discounts. Conversely, United Torah Judaism filed legislation to permanently exempt yeshiva students from military service and protect them from arrest for draft evasion. These proposals highlight the differing priorities of parties that are reportedly in coalition talks.
According to reports from Israel Hayom and Maariv, the Eisenkot-led bloc has agreed to form special committees aimed at repealing laws passed during the outgoing government’s judicial overhaul. These committees, likely headed by members of the Democrats party, will target five specific laws. These include measures regarding judicial appointments, the powers of the attorney general, police internal investigations, communications oversight, and the conditions for declaring a prime minister incapacitated. The High Court has already frozen key provisions of several of these laws.
