Israeli Opposition Leaders Agree on Key Roles as 26th Knesset Opens

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar! party, and opposition party leaders Naftali Bennett, Yair Golan, Avigdor Liberman, and Yair Lapid reached an agreement on Tuesday morning regarding the allocation of key positions in the new Knesset during the period designated for forming a government.

Under the agreement, former minister Matan Kahana is the designated candidate for Knesset speaker, while incoming MK Roy Folkman has been selected to head the Arrangements Committee, which will determine the composition of parliamentary committees later this week. Yisrael Beytenu chairman and former defense minister Avigdor Liberman is expected to chair the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, while incoming MK Liran Avishar Ben-Horin is slated to lead the Finance Committee. The proposed committee appointments will be submitted to the Knesset plenum for approval on Wednesday. The parties also reached understandings on establishing special committees, with further details to be announced.

26th Knesset to Open with Swearing-In Ceremony

The agreement comes as Israel's 26th Knesset prepares to convene for its inaugural session on Tuesday, with a formal ceremony attended by President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, senior state officials, and members of the incoming lawmakers' families.

The proceedings will begin at 3:20 p.m. in the Knesset plaza, where the president will be welcomed by the Knesset Guard. The inaugural plenary session will open at 4:00 p.m. with addresses by Herzog and Ohana, followed by the swearing-in of all 120 members of Knesset.

During the ceremony, Avi Harush, father of Sergeant Reef Harush, who was killed in southern Gaza in April 2024, will recite Psalm 122. Archival recordings of David Ben-Gurion reading Israel's Declaration of Independence will also be played, and the Pirchei Ashkelon children's choir will perform the national anthem.

Following the plenary session, party leaders will gather in the Chagall Hall for the traditional group photograph. The day's events will conclude with a festive gathering attended by Netanyahu and Israeli singer Harel Skaat.