Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Liberman is expected to establish direct communication channels with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding security and diplomatic issues. This development follows a vote by the Knesset's Arrangements Committee on Wednesday to recommend Liberman for the chairmanship of the new parliament's temporary Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
Because the newly formed Knesset currently lacks an official opposition leader, legal provisions do not mandate that the prime minister provide regular security briefings to any specific political figure. Consequently, Netanyahu is not obligated to share security updates with other party leaders under standard procedures.
However, Liberman's appointment as committee chairman places him among the most informed political figures on national security matters. He will likely receive detailed updates only behind the prime minister and the defense minister. This status effectively makes him the sole party leader within the bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot who will maintain direct contact with Netanyahu on security and diplomatic fronts during the power transition.
The Arrangements Committee, which received Knesset approval on Wednesday, is tasked with defining the new parliament's working procedures. Over the coming days, the committee will also determine how each faction is represented on various parliamentary committees.
In its recent decision, the committee approved the creation of a temporary Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee consisting of 17 members. The proposal to appoint Liberman as its chairman passed with 13 votes in favor and nine against. The committee's composition includes representatives from several major factions.
Likud will be represented on this committee by Boaz Bismuth, Yaakov Bardugo, Ofir Katz, and Elisha Madan. The B'Yachad faction will send Ram Ben-Barak and Keren Turner, while the Democrats are represented by Yair Golan. Other members include Yoav Segalovitz from Ra'am, Limor Son Har-Melech from Otzma Yehudit, Elyakim Stark from United Torah Judaism, Yinon Azoulay from Shas, and Simcha Rothman from the Religious Zionist Party. Avigdor Liberman represents Yisrael Beytenu.
Amidst these procedural developments, Yashar Party chairman MK Gadi Eisenkot sent a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu on Wednesday. Eisenkot urged the prime minister to exercise restraint and caution when making security and national decisions, citing the sensitive nature of the current political situation.
Eisenkot warned against implementing security measures that are not immediately necessary. He also called for Netanyahu to avoid decisions that could potentially undermine public confidence in state institutions. In the letter, Eisenkot addressed the prime minister's current status, noting that he serves as the head of a caretaker government that no longer holds the confidence of the Knesset.
The opposition leader highlighted that only 46 MKs currently support Netanyahu's continued tenure. Eisenkot also referenced recent reports suggesting that extraneous considerations have influenced security decisions. He described these reports as deeply troubling, stating that they concern the introduction of external factors into what he called the holiest of holies, which is Israel's security.
Toward the end of his appeal, Eisenkot addressed the potential constitutional conflicts facing heads of the security establishment. He warned against leaving them with doubts about their duties and urged Netanyahu to allow these leaders to uphold their responsibilities without ambiguity. Eisenkot concluded his letter with a quote emphasizing that every Hebrew mother entrusts the fate of her sons to commanders who are worthy of that responsibility.
