Knesset committee launches Netanyahu’s process

The Knesset Arrangements Committee meets in the parliament to vote on a decision empowering itself to select members for the Knesset House Committee.

It’s a dry procedural vote — technically an overturning of a previous decision of the Arrangements Committee on December 15 reserving that right to the Knesset speaker — but with dramatic consequences.

It means lawmakers can now convene a House Committee to debate and vote on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s immunity request in the coming weeks, perhaps even days, long before election day on March 2.

Netanyahu had hoped to avoid an immunity debate, and thus avoid indictment (which must wait until after the Knesset has ruled on immunity), until after the election.

The first debates will now take place before election day, and may influence the election, if only by ensuring that voters can’t ignore the looming corruption indictments during the next few weeks of campaigning.

The Arrangements Committee is chaired by Blue and White MK Avi Nissenkorn. The party has pushed for the immunity debate to take place as soon as possible, and Nissenkorn is eager to do just that.