Why Gantz needed to replace Netanyahu's Knesset speaker
If Blue and White leader Benny Gantz caves in to the Likud and lets them have the position of Knesset speaker, he would significantly weaken the Israeli parliament and damage Israel’s democracy.
Negotiations between interim Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz on forming Israel’s next government are ongoing, and among the unresolved issues is the identity of the next Knesset speaker.
Just two weeks ago, the Blue and White party, led by Gantz, along with its allied parties — Labor-Meretz, Yisrael Beitenu and the Arab Joint List — led a successful move (with the Supreme Court’s help) to replace Speaker Yuli Edelstein of the Likud party. At the time, Gantz thought replacing Edelstein was a vital move for him and his party to start their work in the Knesset and serve the citizens of Israel.
“We have been working hard all day through different communication channels, including me meeting personally with [Knesset member] Edelstein, who is refusing to let us congregate in the halls of democracy and work for the citizens and, above all else, tackle the challenge of corona,” Gantz told his party members March 18. “At this point, we have no choice but to turn to the high court.”
The court ruled in Gantz’s favor and Edelstein resigned March 23 rather than obey its ruling and calling a vote on his replacement. Since then, Gantz generated the dismantlement of Blue and White and announced he was joining Netanyahu in a power-sharing government. Is the identity of the next speaker still high on his agenda? According to media reports, Gantz rejected out of hand Netanyahu’s suggestion that Edelstein be restored to his former post. Tourism Minister Yariv Levin, the minister probably closest to Netanyahu, is among the leading candidates for the prestigious job.
