Likud blocked vote to install Liberman as defense committee chair, delaying security oversight until Monday – report

By Ariela Karmel

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Ariela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman at the party’s election headquarters in Tel Aviv, October 27, 2026. (Tal Gal/Flash90)

After the Knesset formally established its temporary Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee yesterday, Likud blocked a separate vote to install Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman as its chair, delaying his appointment until Monday and leaving the committee without meaningful oversight powers, according to Hebrew media reports.

The move effectively prevents the anti-Netanyahu bloc, despite now commanding a parliamentary majority, and Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot, who received a mandate to form a government, from accessing classified security briefings through the committee, amid growing concerns that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking military action against Iran despite the objections of security chiefs.

The Knesset established the temporary committee yesterday after lawmakers voted to approve the composition of the powerful Arrangements Committee, giving the anti-Netanyahu bloc control over key parliamentary proceedings. However, a separate vote is required to formally appoint Liberman as chairman.

According to a Haaretz report, outgoing coalition chairman Ofir Katz and outgoing Knesset Speaker MK Amir Ohana, both of Likud, blocked that vote yesterday, warning that Ohana would prevent the plenum from convening to formally announce the Foreign Affairs and Defense committee’s establishment until Monday if they proceeded with the vote to install Liberman.

Under a compromise, the committee’s establishment was announced, but the vote on Liberman’s chairmanship was postponed until Monday. Until then, he cannot exercise the chairman’s powers or access classified intelligence materials in that capacity.

The obstruction comes amid reports of renewed disagreements between Netanyahu and IDF chief Eyal Zamir over possible military action against Iran, with the military chief reportedly warning that the moves sought by the prime minister are reckless and could trigger another conflict.

Eisenkot has urged Netanyahu to refrain from nonurgent military action until a new government is formed, warning of potentially “devastating consequences” for Israeli democracy.