Opposition parties said to reach deal to replace Knesset speaker on parliament’s day 1

The group of parties opposed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly reached a deal to oust the current Knesset speaker shortly after the new Knesset is sworn in next month.

The 120 members of the next Knesset are set to be sworn in on November 10, regardless of the ongoing talks to form the next coalition.

The “change bloc” — Yashar, B’Yachad, The Democrats and Yisrael Beytenu — together with the Arab-led parties the Joint List and Ra’am, control the majority of Knesset seats, and will therefore be able to remove Likud Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana from his position.

Political analyst Barak Seri reports that a deal to oust Ohana has already been reached. He does not say who the likely candidate is for next Knesset speaker, although reports have indicated that the opposition parties are considering tapping former prime minister Yair Lapid.

Seri reports that the vote on a new Knesset speaker is likely to take place on the day the parliament is sworn in.

Appearing on Channel 12 Friday evening on a TV show co-hosted by Seri, The Democrats party chairman Yair Golan says “the first thing we will do” after swearing in the Knesset is appointing a new speaker, then appointing heads of Knesset committees and establishing a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 attack.