Eisenkot and Bennett appoint faction chairs as Israel prepares to swear in 26th Knesset

Advertisement

Jerusalem: Incoming political parties set to serve in the 26th Knesset have begun filling key leadership positions ahead of the parliament’s official swearing-in ceremony on November 10.

The organisational push began as party leaders announced their appointments for Knesset faction chairs, pivotal administrative roles tasked with steering party strategy, maintaining legislative discipline, and managing parliamentary affairs.

In an announcement on X, former IDF Chief of Staff and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief contender Gadi Eisenkot announced the appointment of incoming lawmaker Roi Folkman to lead his party’s parliamentary delegation.

“I have appointed incoming Knesset Member Roi Folkman as the Chairman of the Yesh Atid faction in the 26th Knesset,” Eisenkot wrote. “Folkman, who is rich in political experience, is endowed with intellectual sharpness, creativity, and proven leadership ability, which are required in order to lead the faction’s work.”

He added, “I am confident in his ability to begin realising the will of the voters already with the opening of the Knesset session. We have a great mission and responsibility toward the citizens of Israel. Setting out on the path. We will do it, and we will succeed!”

Meanwhile, other incoming parties are also assembling their parliamentary leadership teams. According to the Times of Israel, B’Yachad chair Naftali Bennett appointed MK Eitan Ginzburg as his party’s Knesset chair.

Ginzburg, who previously served as a member of the Blue and White party in the outgoing parliament, brings prior executive experience to the role. The Argentine-born politician briefly served as communications minister for one month and 11 days prior to the dissolution of the Netanyahu-Gantz government in June 2021.

The appointments mark the initial administrative preparations as faction leaders organise their benches ahead of the formal opening of the 26th Knesset session next month.

On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday shared a compilation of remarks by Arab political leaders and opposition lawmakers, reiterating his opposition to forming a government with Arab parties, saying, “It is forbidden to form a government with them.”

Advertisement

In a post on X, Netanyahu shared a video featuring excerpts from speeches and statements by several Arab politicians and lawmakers, including Ahmad Tibi, Iman Khatib-Yasin, Mansour Abbas, Sami Abu Shehadeh, Ofer Cassif, Yousef Jabareen and Ayman Odeh.

This comes as the Central Elections Committee of Israel on Friday published the final results of the national election, confirming the distribution of seats in the 26th Knesset, which is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10. The pro-Netanyahu bloc secured 53 seats, falling short of the majority required to form a government.

According to The Times of Israel, the Likud party, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, emerged as the largest party with 27 seats, followed by Yashar with 21 seats.

B’Yachad secured 12 seats, while the Joint List won 11. The Democrats and Ra’am secured eight seats each, while Yisrael Beytenu, United Torah Judaism and Otzma Yehudit won seven seats each. Shas and Religious Zionism secured six seats apiece.

The final results leave the pro-Netanyahu bloc with 53 seats, the anti-Netanyahu bloc with 48 seats and the Arab factions with 19 seats, according to The Times of Israel.

The final voter turnout stood at 77.9 per cent of eligible voters, with 5,716,665 votes cast.

The Reservists, which secured 2.7 per cent of the vote, People of Israel with 1.7 per cent and Charedi Public with 0.2 per cent failed to cross the 3.25 per cent electoral threshold.

The final official results will be submitted to Israeli President Isaac Herzog on November 4, following examinations of possible errors or inquiries. The newly elected Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10.

(Source: ANI)

Also Read: Pope Leo XIV submits mail-in ballot for US midterms, marks unprecedented first for papacy

Advertisement