Eisenkot’s Party Reportedly Invites Shas and UTJ to Join Bid to Replace Knesset Speaker

Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party has reportedly invited Shas and United Torah Judaism to join a request to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana at the opening session of the 26th Knesset. Incoming MK Roy Folkman, the Yashar faction chairman, sent letters to the heads of both factions on Monday, November 9, according to reports. The party’s statement, reproduced in the reports, said signatures were being collected ahead of submitting the formal request. Folkman’s letters invited the two Haredi factions to join that effort. The initiative seeks a speaker election during the new parliament’s opening session on Tuesday, November 10. On November 5, Ohana said the customary time to elect a speaker was when a government was formed. He described an exception for a request signed by a majority of lawmakers, at least 61 MKs, seeking an earlier election. He said he would respect that majority and schedule the discussion earlier, within a week. Ohana said: “There will be no clinging to the altar.” The signature effort follows a November 4 meeting at the Knesset to prepare for the incoming parliament. Participants included Folkman, Together faction chairman Eitan Ginzburg, The Democrats’ Efrat Rayten and Yisrael Beytenu’s Oded Forer.