Today (Wednesday), the Likud party launched a sharp attack against the parties led by Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, and Avigdor Liberman, following a vote in the Knesset plenum regarding the composition of the Arrangements Committee. The Likud claimed that these three parties collaborated with the Arab factions, after a proposal by MK Roi Folkman (of the Yashar faction) was approved by a majority of 63 Knesset members against 50 opposed. At the same time, the party called on the faction leaders to join a unity government, rather than continuing their political cooperation with Ahmad Tibi and Mansour Abbas.
“It has begun. The parties of Eisenkot, Liberman, and Bennett voted today alongside Tibi and Abbas in the Knesset plenum,” stated the Likud in a release issued following the vote results. The party further addressed the three faction leaders directly: “We call upon you—come join a unity government. Cease your cooperation with supporters of terrorism who boycott the national anthem.”
This harsh statement was released after the Knesset plenum approved MK Roi Folkman’s proposal for the composition of the Arrangements Committee, which will operate during the organizational phase of the 26th Knesset. The vote took place after representatives of the various factions failed to reach an agreement on the allocation of seats on the committee, leading to the submission of two competing proposals to the plenum. The first proposal was submitted by Folkman of the Yashar faction, while the second was presented by MK Ofir Katz of the Likud. Ultimately, Folkman’s proposal secured a majority and was approved. According to the established composition, the committee will consist of 22 Members of Knesset, based on a ratio of one representative for every five MKs. The Likud will have five representatives, the Yashar faction will have four, and the Yachad, Joint List, Democrats, and Ra’am factions will each have two. Yisrael Beiteinu, Otzma Yehudit, United Torah Judaism, Shas, and the Religious Zionist Party will each have one representative.
Even before the Likud issued its statement, MK Ofir Katz criticized the parties that supported Folkman’s proposal, claiming they had rejected attempts to reach a compromise regarding the committee’s composition. According to Katz, the Likud initially proposed a ratio of one representative for every four MKs, and later agreed to reduce the total number of committee members in order to reach an agreement.
“We proposed a ratio of one representative for every four MKs, which would have resulted in 15 members for our bloc, 12 for the opposing bloc, and 4 for the Arab factions,” Katz said. He added: “In response to claims that the committee would be too large, we put forward a genuine compromise proposal: 8 representatives for our bloc, 7 for the other bloc, and 3 members for the Arab MKs.” Katz argued that the proposal was rejected for political reasons: “It is a fair proposal, but they refused because they are trying to conceal their cooperation with supporters of terrorism in the Knesset.”
Conversely, MK Roy Folkman—whose proposal was adopted and who will head the Arrangements Committee—emphasized that he had attempted to reach an understanding with the Likud prior to the vote. “In my view, good politics is pragmatic politics. Decency is something that cannot be legislated, yet there are norms and there are laws,” Folkman stated. He added, “I proposed an agreement regarding the composition to MK Katz; I am a man who believes in reaching agreements.” “Refusing to agree—just for the sake of refusing—is pointless; it’s a shame to create unnecessary tension.”
The Arrangements Committee is a key body that operates at the outset of a new Knesset term. Its role is to determine the composition of the Knesset’s standing committees and submit this for approval by the Plenum. Pending the establishment of these standing committees, the Arrangements Committee is authorized to appoint temporary committees for Finance and for Foreign Affairs and Defense. Furthermore, it holds the powers of the House Committee regarding procedural matters and Plenum deliberations, and is authorized to appoint temporary Deputy Speakers of the Knesset.
The committee will be chaired by MK Roi Folkman, in accordance with the law, which stipulates that the chair of the Arrangements Committee must be a member of the same parliamentary faction as the MK tasked by the President of the State with forming the government.