The new Israeli parliament will swear in on Tuesday, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a reduction in his majority in this body. Gadi Izengot, Netanyahu's rival, is working to form a new government.
President's Speech and Parliament's Priorities
President Isaac Herzog will speak at 16:00 local time (1400 GMT) during the swearing-in ceremony of the 120-member parliament. Neither Netanyahu's right-wing bloc nor Izengot's opposition will have a majority in this new parliament. The opposition hopes to use its new power to advance key priorities, including forming a commission to investigate security failures during Netanyahu's tenure that led to the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.
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Mission to Form a Government
Herzog granted Izengot the initial mandate to form a government on Sunday, which begins a 28-day period for coalition formation, with a possibility of a 14-day extension. Before the parliament's opening, Izengot's party reported progress in naming individuals for key positions. The opposition has nominated Matan Kahana, a former military figure like Izengot, as a candidate for parliament speaker.
Avigdor Lieberman, the leader of the right-wing opposition who has played a key role in decision-making regarding entering the government, will be introduced as the head of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. The opposition speaker must secure more votes than anyone supported by Netanyahu's bloc.
The new government must obtain 61 votes to be established. Izengot may reach this threshold with support from Arab-Israeli representatives who have gained an unprecedented number of seats. However, Lieberman has made it clear that he will not allow Izengot to rely on Arab-Israeli votes to gain power and instead has proposed an alliance with ultra-Orthodox Jews.
The two ultra-Orthodox parties with 13 seats could also crown Izengot if they abandon their alliance with Netanyahu, who has supported military service exemptions. Any alliance with these groups is likely to be fragile. Arab-Israelis are likely to protest if Izengot takes further action in Gaza.
Izengot has largely supported Netanyahu's wartime decisions, but he has promised to crack down on extremist settlers in the West Bank who have attacked and robbed Palestinians.
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