The Knesset convened on Wednesday for its first session after the Oct. 27 general election, and approved Yashar lawmaker Roy Folkman’s proposal for the composition of the Arrangements Committee.
The Likud issued a statement slamming the outcome, saying, “It has begun.” The parties of Gadi Eisenkot (Yashar), Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) and Naftali Bennett (B’Yachad) “voted today in the Knesset plenum alongside [Arab party leaders Ahmad] Tibi and [Mansour] Abbas. We call on you: come to unity. Stop cooperating with supporters of terrorism who boycott the national anthem,” the statement continued.
Section 2A of the Knesset Law stipulates that the Arrangements Committee shall be chaired by a lawmaker belonging to the faction of the Knesset member whom the Israeli president has tasked with forming a government.
Folkman was appointed by Eisenkot to serve as chairman of the committee, which will grant him significant parliamentary powers during the intermediate period until a coalition is forged, such as the authority to appoint temporary committees for finance, foreign affairs and defense.
In addition, the Arrangements Committee assumes the Knesset Committee’s powers concerning the rules and procedures of the legislature’s proceedings until a Knesset Committee is elected.
Typically, the factions reach a unilateral agreement on the allocation of party representatives to the committee. If they do not, the composition is determined by a Knesset vote.
According to Folkman’s proposal, which was approved by the plenum 63-50, the committee will comprise 22 MKs based on a factional ratio of one committee member for every five MKs a party has. Thus, Likud will have 5 members; Yashar 4; B’Yachad, the Joint List, The Democrats and Ra’am two each; and Yisrael Beitenu, Otzma Yehudit, United Torah Judaism, Shas and Religious Zionism one each.
Folkman will preside over the committee while Eisenkot attempts to form a government. If Eisenkot fails to do so after 28 days, Israeli President Isaac Herzog may grant a 14-day extension. At the end of that period, the president will task an MK from another party with forming a government, and a member of that party will be elected to lead the committee in Folkman’s place.
Although Netanyahu’s Likud won more votes than any other party in the Oct. 27 elections, 67 Knesset members recommended Eisenkot to form a coalition versus just 46 for incumbent prime minister.
However, the change-bloc parties (Yashar, B’Yachad, Yisrael Beiteinu and The Democrats) hold only 48 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while the two Arab parties, Ra’am and the Joint List, control 19.
With 61 seats needed for a majority, Eisenkot would require the support of the Arab parties either as coalition partners or through outside parliamentary backing, unless he can persuade parties from Netanyahu’s 53-seat bloc to join him.
On Tuesday evening, Arab lawmakers walked out of the Knesset chamber to avoid standing during “Hatikvah,” the Israeli national anthem, during the swearing-in ceremony of the incoming Knesset.
Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas remained in the chamber during the anthem but did not sing, according to Hebrew media reports. United Torah Judaism chairman Yaakov Asher also reportedly stood without singing.
