Netanyahu’s rivals agree on Knesset Speaker and key posts as new parliament is sworn in

Opponents of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed on 10 November on who they will put forward for four top posts in the new Knesset, Israel’s parliament, as it was sworn in.

The bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot, whom President Isaac Herzog asked on 8 November to form the next government, named Matan Kahana of Mr. Eisenkot’s Yashar party for Speaker, The National and France 24 reported.

The posts

According to The National, the bloc agreed that:

• Matan Kahana (Yashar) will stand for Speaker
• Avigdor Lieberman, leader of Yisrael Beiteinu, will chair the foreign affairs and defence committee
• Liran Avisar Ben-Horin, from Naftali Bennett’s party, will chair the finance committee
• Roy Folkman (Yashar) will chair the procedure committee

These are nominations, and the posts still have to be filled by votes in the Knesset.

The numbers

Neither camp has the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset, Al Jazeera reported. France 24 said Mr. Eisenkot’s core bloc has 48 seats, fewer than Mr. Netanyahu’s. Nineteen members come from Arab parties, and two ultra-Orthodox parties hold 13 seats. Of the 120 members, 47 are new to parliament, according to The National.

Mr. Netanyahu stays on as interim Prime Minister until a new government is formed. He keeps power over security and appointments but is expected to use it with restraint, and only the cabinet can approve a new war, Al Jazeera reported. Since the election he has repeatedly said that the vote was “stolen”; officials say the problems he points to would not have changed the result.

What’s next

Mr. Eisenkot has 28 days from 8 November to form a government, and the President can give him 14 more.