Haredi UTJ says it won’t vote to replace Knesset speaker, rejecting opposition push

Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party reached out to Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) on Monday, requesting their support to formally petition for the replacement of Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana. The incoming MK Roy Folkman, who leads the Yashar Knesset faction, sent these letters to the respective heads of both haredi (ultra-Orthodox) factions, inviting them to take part in this effort.

The letters explain that the process of gathering signatures before submitting the formal request is already underway, and both parties have been extended the invitation.

If at least 61 MKs submit a formal request for early voting, according to Ohana, he will schedule a vote within a week. This provides him with the opportunity to postpone the vote beyond Tuesday, the day when the 26th Knesset commences, although he has publicly assured that he will not impede the majority's wishes. The involvement of the haredi parties in this endeavor could bolster the push for an immediate vote, indicating that it is not solely driven by the parties opposing Netanyahu.

However, their signatures alone would not force Ohana to hold the vote on Tuesday, and the parties seeking his replacement would still need to agree upon a candidate.