Eisenkot's Yashar files 61-plus signatures to replace Knesset Speaker Ohana

Yashar, the party led by Gadi Eisenkot, has formally handed Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana a demand signed by more than 61 members of the newly elected 26th Knesset, calling for a vote to remove him and elect Matan Kahana in his place. The Times of Israel reported that the party announced the submission on November 10, 2026, shortly before the new Knesset was due to convene for its opening session.

The exact count varies between reports. Most outlets, including News.co.il and political commentator Amit Segal, described it as more than 61 signatures. A later post relayed by N12, citing Segal, put the figure at 67 signatures. According to Ynet, Ohana will now be obliged to convene a vote within a week at most.

Why 61 signatures matter

The Knesset is Israel's parliament, and 61 is the number of members needed for a majority in the chamber. That same threshold decides who can form a government, which is why it carries so much weight in Israeli politics. By putting more than 61 names on a single document, the parties opposed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are showing that they can command a majority on the floor, at least on this question.

The Times of Israel described the move as a significant step toward the bloc using its parliamentary majority before a new government has been put together. Choosing the Speaker is often one of the first contests in a new parliament, and it can signal how coalition talks are likely to go.

What the Speaker does

The Speaker of the Knesset presides over the plenary, the full sitting of parliament, and has considerable influence over its agenda, including which items come up for debate and when votes are held. Amir Ohana belongs to Netanyahu's Likud party and currently holds the post. Replacing him with a member of the opposing bloc would move control of the parliamentary calendar away from Likud.

The Times of Israel reported that Ohana had previously pledged to set a plenary vote on the next Speaker no more than a week after receiving a formal request backed by most of the chamber's members. Since that condition has now been satisfied, the outlet said, a vote on Kahana is expected in the coming days.

Who is Matan Kahana

Kahana is a former government minister and now a lawmaker for Yashar, Eisenkot's party. The Times of Israel reported that the heads of the anti-Netanyahu camp settled on him as their candidate for the Speaker's chair only hours before the signatures were filed, after several days of negotiations among them.

His expected appointment has drawn criticism from Bezalel Smotrich, who, according to Ynet, called on Kahana to turn the role down. Ynet reported that Kahana rejected that criticism, saying that nobody is being boycotted. Asked about the possibility of a unity government headed by Netanyahu, Kahana questioned, in Ynet's account, why anyone would want to serve under him.

The wider political picture

The signatures come as both camps manoeuvre after the election. On the same day, The Times of Israel's live coverage noted that Shas, the ultra-Orthodox party, said it was staying with Netanyahu and would not negotiate with any other player. The Speaker vote is therefore one of the first concrete measures of where the numbers stand in the new parliament, separate from the longer process of forming a government.

What the reports do not say

The reports do not give a confirmed date for the plenary vote, and they differ on whether the petition carries 67 signatures or simply more than 61. None of the reports lists which lawmakers signed, and there is no reported response yet from Ohana or Likud to the submission itself.