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Israel’s newly elected Knesset to hold inaugural session on Nov 10

Tel Aviv, Nov 2 (UNI) Israel’s newly elected parliament, the Knesset, will hold its inaugural session on November 10, with lawmakers set to be sworn in and elect a new parliamentary speaker as political parties negotiate to form the next government following inconclusive elections.
The session will begin at 4 pm local time (1400 GMT), with President Isaac Herzog and other invited guests attending, the Knesset said in a statement on Monday.
The announcement follows parliamentary elections held last Tuesday, which failed to give any political bloc a clear majority in the 120-seat legislature.
Preliminary results show that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc secured 53 seats, compared with 48 for opposition parties and 19 for Arab parties. A minimum of 61 seats is required to command a parliamentary majority.
Official election results are expected to be announced on Wednesday.
During the opening session, newly elected and returning lawmakers will take the oath of allegiance before electing a parliamentary speaker from among their members.
The opposition Change bloc, led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, is seeking to replace incumbent Speaker Amir Ohana, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party.
The Knesset speaker serves a four-year term and oversees parliamentary proceedings, represents the legislature in official engagements and helps determine its legislative agenda.
Up to eight deputy speakers will also be elected shortly after the appointment.
Meanwhile, political parties have stepped up consultations over who should be tasked with forming the next government.
Channel 12 reported on Monday that Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman would recommend Eisenkot for the premiership.Israeli public broadcaster KAN also reported that the Democrats, led by Yair Golan, are moving towards recommending Eisenkot.
On Sunday, the Together party, headed by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, announced its decision to support Eisenkot.
Arab lawmakers have also indicated they could recommend Eisenkot in an effort to prevent Netanyahu from securing another term.
If all 19 Arab lawmakers join opposition parties in backing Eisenkot, he could receive recommendations from 67 lawmakers, compared with 53 for Netanyahu's bloc.
Such recommendations could influence President Herzog's decision on whom to nominate first to form a government, although Likud remains the largest individual party in the Knesset.
Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, despite United Nations support for a two-state solution.
Netanyahu, 76, has served five non-consecutive terms as prime minister, making him Israel's longest-serving premier.
He is currently facing trial on corruption charges, including bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu has rejected the allegations.
Meanwhile ,Eisenkot’s Yashar party has begun drafting an amendment to Israel’s Commissions of Inquiry Law that would allow the Knesset to establish a formal state commission of inquiry through a simple majority vote in the parliamentary plenum.
Under the proposed amendment, once the 120-member Knesset approves an investigation into the systemic and military failures surrounding the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, responsibility for determining the commission’s composition would pass to the president of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court president would independently appoint the commission’s chairperson and members, according to the proposal, The Times of Isreal reported.
A state commission of inquiry is Israel’s highest-level investigative mechanism and can examine government decisions, institutional failures and the conduct of public officials.
Netanyahu has repeatedly resisted calls to establish such a commission, with critics arguing that his government must be held accountable for the security and intelligence failures that preceded the October 7 attack.
The proposed legislation could therefore become a significant point of political contention in the new Knesset, particularly if opposition parties secure sufficient support to advance it.
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