Eisenkot Names Roy Folkman to Lead Yashar’s Knesset Faction

Gadi Eisenkot announced on Friday, October 30, that he had appointed incoming lawmaker Roy Folkman to chair Yashar’s faction in the 26th Knesset. Folkman previously led the Kulanu faction in the 20th Knesset and is returning to parliamentary work after leaving political life in 2019, according to his party biography. Eisenkot said Folkman’s political experience, intellectual sharpness, creativity and proven leadership were needed to direct the faction’s work. “I am confident in his ability to begin implementing the voters’ wishes as soon as the Knesset session opens,” Eisenkot wrote. His announcement identified the opening of the Knesset session as the point when Folkman would begin that work. Yashar’s biography describes Folkman’s earlier parliamentary activity as focused on housing, the cost of living, communications, small businesses and competition. It credits him with helping advance fair-rental and affordable-housing legislation, mortgage-payment deferrals during unemployment and banking reform. It also says he chaired subcommittees on small and medium-sized businesses and on removing barriers in the civil service. After his departure from politics in 2019, Folkman remained active in public and professional roles. His party biography lists service as head of the Financial Competition Forum, a member of the Council for Higher Education and chairman of the Ayalim association’s economic company. His earlier experience included directing policy and strategic planning at Jerusalem Municipality.