Opposition pushes to replace Knesset speaker amid fears of Likud 'January 6' plot to block vote

Opposition party leaders sent a letter to Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana on Thursday, demanding that a debate and vote to elect a new Knesset speaker be held as early as Tuesday.

The 120 MKs elected on October 27 will be sworn in on Tuesday regardless of whether a coalition government has been formed.

In a response posted on X/Twitter, Ohana said that the date for the election of the new Knesset speaker would only be set when the new government is formed, unless a majority of Knesset members sign a letter requesting that it be scheduled earlier.

"There will be no clinging to the altar," Ohana wrote. "You can stop promoting conspiracy theories in the media."

At the same time, sources within the bloc claimed to have received information about an alleged Likud plan to disrupt the vote, including physically preventing MKs from entering the plenum.

According to the sources, hundreds of Likud Central Committee members are expected to arrive at the Knesset on the day of the vote and attempt to block lawmakers from entering the chamber.

The information also suggests that widespread disruptions are being planned during the debate itself, with the aim of forcing Ohana to suspend the session and close the plenum, thereby preventing a vote on his replacement.

The opposition bloc has warned of this possibility but insists that it intends to proceed with replacing the Knesset speaker even if attempts are made to disrupt the vote.

However, it is important to emphasize that these allegations are based on information that sources within the bloc claim to have received. The alleged plan has not been independently verified or confirmed by Likud.

Opposition split on candidate for Knesset speaker

Meanwhile, alongside its confrontation with Likud, the opposition bloc is still struggling to agree on a candidate to replace Ohana. Party leaders concluded their latest meeting without reaching a consensus and set next Monday as the deadline for a decision.

At the center of the dispute are Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot and Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid. Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman supports appointing Lapid to the position, while Eisenkot wants to become Knesset speaker himself.

One concern raised during the negotiations is that the position could be given to a representative of a party that might later join a government led by Benjamin Netanyahu. As a result, the identity of the next Knesset speaker could have political implications extending well beyond the management of parliamentary proceedings.

Sources familiar with the discussions say Eisenkot wants to secure the position immediately, giving him a significant position of influence during coalition negotiations. Under one proposal being considered, Eisenkot would resign as Knesset speaker if he succeeds in forming a government and becoming prime minister. If he fails, he could remain in the position and retain influence over the parliamentary agenda.

For now, the parties have not reached an agreement, and the decision on their candidate has been postponed pending further negotiations.

Despite the disagreement, the opposition bloc intends to seek the first mandate to form a government from President Isaac Herzog while simultaneously moving forward with efforts to replace the Knesset speaker.