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Arab legislators at last to head major Knesset committees

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz took a courageous and historic move by pushing for two Arab legislators to head Knesset committees.
Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz seen during election campaign in Ramat Gan on February 25.
After 99 percent of votes counted, right-wing bloc led by Likud's Benjamin Netanyahu obtained 58 seats but 3 are missing to get a clear majority.
Israeli PM Netanyahu says today that Gantz is 'linking up with terrorists' supporters' alluding at possible union with Arab Alliance Joint List.
On Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Jerusalem, Israel. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The war against the new coronavirus is a world war. Each and every country around the globe is investing its resources in saving human lives and adopting preventive measures against mass contagion. All countries are anxious about suffering countrywide health system and hospital failures. This is in addition to anticipated economic crises, which no one really knows how to assess at this point in time. But in Israel, in addition to all of this, a vicious, uncompromising political war is being waged. Even as the coronavirus spreads, no truce is in the offing despite the “situation.” This is a full-fledged political war in all its ugliness and disconnection.

As a reminder, shortly after its swearing-in on March 18, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein dispersed the Israeli legislature, preventing the plenum from voting on replacing him and establishing House committees. Following petitions, the High Court of Justice intervened to enable the Knesset to convene. Subsequently, the center-left bloc, which holds the majority in the new Knesset, would choose on March 23 the composition of several Knesset committees.

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