The push to replace Ohana
Removing Ohana, a member of Netanyahu's Likud party, would give the opposition greater control over parliamentary business during the six-week period before the government-formation deadline, Walla reported. Potential replacements include Gadi Eisenkot, opposition leader Yair Lapid and Yisrael Beytenu's Oded Forer.
The Times of Israel reported that the four-party "change bloc"—Yashar, B'Yachad, The Democrats and Yisrael Beytenu—holds 67 of the Knesset's 120 seats together with the Arab-led Joint List and Ra'am. That combined strength is sufficient to remove Ohana, the outlet said.
Channel 12 political analyst Barak Seri reported on October 30 that an agreement to oust Ohana had already been reached. He said lawmakers would likely vote on a replacement on November 10, when the 26th Knesset is sworn in, even if coalition negotiations are still underway. Walla's account said opposition leaders still needed to settle on one candidate and assemble the votes to elect that person.
A government need not be in place for lawmakers to choose a new speaker. According to Ynet, a 2020 Supreme Court ruling requires an election for the post to be put to a vote if 61 Knesset members demand one.
Election results and government-formation talks
Neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the opposition has independently reached the 61-seat majority needed to form a government. Reports on November 1 cited preliminary results giving Netanyahu's bloc 53 seats, the opposition 48 and Arab parties 19.
The Central Elections Committee released final results for the October 27 election on October 30. The allocation was Likud 27 seats; Yashar 21; B'Yachad 12; Joint List 11; The Democrats and Ra'am eight each; Yisrael Beytenu, United Torah Judaism and Otzma Yehudit seven each; and Shas and Religious Zionism six each. Turnout reached 77.9%, with 5,716,665 votes cast.
Three lists did not clear the 3.25% electoral threshold: the Reservists received 2.7%, People of Israel 1.7% and Charedi Public 0.2%, according to the final results.
Walla, citing unnamed sources, said Lapid, who heads Yesh Atid, plans to host Eisenkot, Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman and Democrats leader Yair Golan at his residence. Their four-way meeting is intended to coordinate how the opposition uses the election outcome to gain influence in parliament.
The meeting is planned before President Isaac Herzog begins consultations at his residence on November 4 to decide who gets the first opportunity to form a government. Opposition sources told Walla that Eisenkot has decided to accept the first mandate.
The proposed legislative agenda
Golan outlined a sequence of parliamentary steps on Channel 12 on October 30. He said "the first thing we will do" after the new Knesset is sworn in is appoint a speaker, followed by committee heads and a state commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre. Walla also reported plans for a bill establishing an official inquiry into the events of that day.
The Jerusalem Post reported that installing a speaker from the change bloc would help Netanyahu's opponents pursue the inquiry, legislation on haredi, or ultra-Orthodox, conscription, and the reversal of judicial-overhaul legislation enacted by the previous Knesset. Those efforts could start during coalition talks, while Netanyahu's outgoing government remains in office.
Another proposal reported by Walla would prevent a person facing criminal charges from forming a government without requiring a conviction first. Netanyahu, 76, is being tried on corruption charges that include bribery, fraud and breach of trust. A conviction could result in imprisonment.
Netanyahu has headed a right-wing coalition since late 2022. His administration is widely described as Israel's most right-wing government.
The Israeli military began a full-scale war in the Gaza Strip on October 8, 2023. The war has killed more than 74,000 people, injured more than 175,000 and left the entire enclave in ruins. In 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity connected to the Gaza war.
Coalition barriers and challenges to the vote
Liberman has publicly ruled out entering a coalition with either of the two Arab-led parties. Kan news reported that other party leaders are asking Yisrael Beytenu to abstain on replacing Ohana if Liberman will not support the move. An abstention would still leave the opposition with a simple majority in the plenum, according to that report.
Eisenkot has also repeatedly ruled out serving in a Netanyahu-led government, including an arrangement under which the two would take turns as prime minister.
Separately, Likud has alleged, without presenting evidence, that Arab-led parties "stole" the election, POLITICO reported. On November 1, officials including the elections committee head, the attorney general and the head of the Shin Bet said the result would stand even if allegations of foreign interference were substantiated. A court also ordered the release of suspects in one case, according to POLITICO.
