Likud MK Vaturi pulls out of race to replace Edelstein as chair of Knesset defense panel

By Sam Sokol 23 July 2025, 2:05 pm

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Sam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

Likud MK Nissim Vaturi arrives to a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, in Jerusalem on May 11, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

MK Nissum Vaturi announces that he is withdrawing from the race to replace fellow Likud lawmaker Yuli Edelstein as chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

The Likud faction is set to vote today on replacing Edelstein as chair of the influential panel.

With Vaturi out and Likud MK Hanoch Milwidsky picked for the finance committee, it appears that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has thrown his weight behind MK Boaz Bismuth to lead the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

In a video message announcing his withdrawal, Vaturi says that he will continue in his role as chairman of the Knesset Special Committee for Oversight of the Israeli Citizens’ Fund.

The committee oversees the sovereign wealth fund set up by Israel for proceeds from offshore gas extraction.