Eisenkot delays government swearing-in until Knesset speaker is replaced

Israeli political coverage from Haaretz, The Times of Israel, The Jerusalem Post, i24NEWS and ynetnews reports that Gadi Eisenkot, whose Yashar party leads a prospective coalition, has announced he will delay the formal swearing-in of a new government until the current Knesset speaker, Amir Ohana of Likud, is removed from the post. According to the reporting, Eisenkot's bloc is actively seeking support from Haredi factions — specifically Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) — as well as potential Likud defectors to secure a majority for the speaker's ouster. The Times of Israel notes that UTJ has already rejected an offer from Yashar to join the replacement effort, while Haaretz reports that a Haredi party has refused to back the bid. Meanwhile, the opposition is demanding Ohana's removal, and the speaker himself has pledged to allow a debate on a no-confidence motion if a majority of Knesset members request it.

The Israeli outlets emphasize the procedural novelty of withholding a government swearing-in over the speakership, a role traditionally filled after a coalition is finalized. Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post highlight that Eisenkot's strategy appears designed to prevent Ohana from controlling parliamentary procedure during the coalition's fragile early days. The Times of Israel and i24NEWS detail the outreach to Haredi parties, noting that Shas and UTJ hold decisive votes in the 120-seat Knesset. ynetnews frames the delay as a calculated gamble: if the speaker replacement fails, Eisenkot's government may never be sworn in. All five outlets treat the standoff as a test of whether the new anti-Netanyahu bloc can translate its narrow electoral majority into functional parliamentary control.

Ohana, a close ally of former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has served as speaker since the previous Likud-led government. Opposition leaders argue that keeping a Netanyahu loyalist in the chair would allow procedural obstruction of the new coalition's legislative agenda. The coverage does not specify what, if any, promises Eisenkot has made to Shas or UTJ beyond the speaker vote.

What to watch next: whether Shas reverses its reported refusal and backs the replacement motion; whether any Likud MKs defect as i24NEWS suggests Eisenkot is courting; whether Ohana follows through on his pledge to schedule a debate if a majority demands it; and whether Eisenkot sets a public deadline for the speaker vote before abandoning the swearing-in delay. The coverage does not indicate a date for a potential no-confidence motion or a fallback plan if the replacement effort collapses.