Opposition seeks a vote to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana
The change bloc has yet to decide who its candidate for Speaker will be, but is already calling for a vote on Tuesday to replace Ohana.
According to estimates reported by Amit Segal, Ohana will convene the Knesset a week later to elect a new Speaker. Opposition party leaders agreed that their designated candidate would be chosen shortly before the session, which is expected to take place in 12 days.
There is disagreement over who should fill the position. According to Amit Segal, the understanding is that the candidate would be proposed as a permanent appointment, alongside the formation of a government.
The Joint List also announced that it would approach Ohana today to demand an urgent session to elect a new Speaker.
Asked whether United Torah Judaism would support replacing Ohana, party chairman MK Yaakov Asher said:
“Our principled position is that the Speaker of the Knesset should be replaced at the same time a new government is formed, rather than when the Knesset is convened.
I believe this is the appropriate approach, and it has been the accepted practice in the past, with only one exception. This is to prevent an absurd situation in which the Speaker of the Knesset is opposed to the government that is eventually formed.”
Amit Segal expressed disappointment and argued that the next government should also include ultra-Orthodox representation.
Judges propose attorney general’s attendance at Netanyahu trial hearing
The judges in Netanyahu’s trial proposed that the attorney general attend a hearing so they could speak with her directly about the case.
Shaul Elovitch’s defense attorney, Jacques Chen, suggested a closed-door hearing with the attorney general, citing his claims of procedural irregularities that emerged during the evidentiary phase.
Judge Shaham said:
“The defense may have been pushing at an open door, because we had already been considering such a move beforehand.”
A prosecution representative responded:
“Let my colleagues explain on what grounds she should be summoned here.”
Judge Friedman-Feldman said:
“There are many things about this trial that are unusual.”
Amit Segal assessed that such a summons could mean only one thing: the judges want to bring the trial to an end, one way or another.
Mine clearance advances in the Golan Heights and across Israel
The Ministry of Defense’s Mine and Unexploded Ordnance Clearance Authority, RALPAM, has detonated approximately 3,300 mines near Kibbutz Ein Zivan in the Golan Heights during 2026.
The authority works throughout the year to clear minefields and unexploded ordnance across Israel. Its multiyear plan aims to release land suspected of containing mines for agriculture, commerce, industry and housing.
Over the past year, it has cleared more than 6,700 dunams of land suspected of containing mines and unexploded ordnance nationwide, including thousands of dunams in the Golan Heights.
Lamed He Crossing exercise will intermittently close Route 367
The Ministry of Defense’s Crossings Authority will conduct a security exercise today, Thursday, November 5, from 7:00 PM until 2:00 AM on Friday, November 6.
Route 367 will be closed to traffic intermittently. Gunfire and explosions will be heard during the exercise.
