Opposition parties said planning to quickly replace Knesset Speaker Ohana

Opposition parties are currently coordinating a plan to quickly replace Knesset Speaker Ohana. This political maneuver comes as several factions navigate the immediate aftermath of elections to determine the structure of the next government. According to coverage from The Times of Israel, the drive to remove Ohana is a primary focus for the opposition. Simultaneously, the Eisenkot bloc is reportedly awaiting final election results before deciding on their next strategic move, as indicated by sources cited in Haaretz. Multiple news outlets are tracking the fragmentation of potential coalitions.

The Times of Israel and The Jerusalem Post report that the Arab Joint List, led by chairman Tibi, has clarified its position on government formation. Tibi has explicitly stated that the Joint List will not join a government, though he told The Times of Israel that the party is ready to back an anti-Netanyahu government from the outside. This distinction was further emphasized in Israel National News, where Tibi directly informed Eisenkot that the Joint List would not be joining the government administration. Contextual reporting from Ynetnews highlights a broader struggle for parliamentary influence, noting that Eisenkot is currently courting ultra-Orthodox parties. This effort is occurring while the Likud party is simultaneously hunting for opposition defectors to bolster its own standing.

Further complicating the leadership landscape, The Jerusalem Post reports that Liberman of Yisrael Beytenu has denied aspirations for the position of Knesset speaker, even as the opposition pushes to replace the current incumbent. Future developments depend on the finalization of election results and the outcome of the outreach to ultra-Orthodox parties. Observers are monitoring whether the Joint List will follow through on its offer to support an anti-Netanyahu government from the outside without formally joining. The immediate priority for the opposition remains the rapid replacement of Speaker Ohana, while the Eisenkot bloc remains in a holding pattern until the final vote counts are confirmed.