The 120 lawmakers of the 26th Knesset were sworn in on Nov 10 as opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot moved to secure key legislative roles in his effort to establish a new Israeli government. The coalition of opposition parties, known as the Change Bloc, reached an agreement to nominate Matan Kahana for Speaker of the Knesset to replace Amir Ohana. The group also named Avigdor Liberman as the nominee to chair the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and Liran Avishar Ben-Horin as the nominee for the Finance Committee.
The new parliament enters session during a political deadlock following the Oct 27 election, which cost incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu his parliamentary majority. While 74 members of the Knesset have expressed a lack of confidence in Netanyahu, the prime minister has called for a national unity government led by his Likud party, arguing that any coalition relying on supporters of Hamas is incapable of confronting Iran. Eisenkot remains the prime minister-designate, but his current bloc lacks the necessary majority and continues to negotiate with partners including the parties of Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid.