Knesset to vote on string of right-wing bills in effort to split ‘change bloc’

A series of right-wing bills will go up for a vote in the Knesset later today, in a bid by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc to split the bloc of right-wing, centrist and left-wing parties trying to form a government without the incumbent premier.

The votes will put the focus on the Yamina and New Hope parties, which are right-wing but are holding advanced negotiations to form a so-called “change government.”

The bills approved to go on the agenda for preliminary readings at the recommendation of Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin (Likud) include one legalizing West Bank outposts, another enabling the Knesset to override High Court rulings, and another that enables renewed access to West Bank areas evacuated in 2005.

If any of the bills pass today’s vote, they still need to pass three more readings to become law.

But the pro-Netanyahu bloc hopes forcing the vote right now will drive a wedge between the potential coalition partners.