Yashar! Submits Bills for October 7 Inquiry and Prime Ministerial Term Limits
The Yashar! faction submitted bills to the 26th Knesset to establish an October 7 inquiry and limit the prime minister's tenure, alongside proposals to repeal judicial overhaul laws.
The Yashar! faction, led by Gadi Eisenkot, submitted a series of legislative bills to the Knesset on Tuesday as the 26th Knesset commenced its term. The proposals prioritize the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 massacre and the imposition of a term limit on the prime minister.
Alongside these two initiatives, the faction—in cooperation with other parliamentary groups—introduced bills aimed at repealing several laws and legislative amendments advanced by the outgoing government under its judicial overhaul agenda. This legislative package marks the initial implementation of the commitments Eisenkot outlined during the election campaign, where he pledged to initiate a state inquiry, limit prime ministerial tenure to eight years, and reverse changes to the Judicial Selection Committee.
The first bill seeks to establish a state commission of inquiry to investigate the events of October 7, 2023. It is accompanied by a proposed amendment to Basic Law: The Government, which would establish a maximum tenure for the prime minister. Both measures were central to the ten-point platform of the Yashar! party.
Repealing Judicial Overhaul Legislation
The legislative package also includes proposals to annul modifications to the status and powers of the Attorney General regarding legal opinions, legal representation, and oversight. Additionally, it seeks to repeal the amendment to Basic Law: The Judiciary and Amendment No. 105 to the Courts Law.
Furthermore, the bills propose the cancellation of the Communications Law promoted by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, the incapacity arrangements established under Basic Law: The Government, and Amendment No. 45 to the Police Ordinance. The Communications Law, approved in its second and third readings last July, aimed to restructure broadcast market oversight, though the High Court of Justice issued an interim injunction freezing several of its provisions. The Incapacity Law also sparked legal controversy, leading the High Court to rule in January 2024 that its implementation would be deferred to the incoming Knesset.
Coalition Coordination and Knesset Leadership
The legislative strategy was formulated by the opposition bloc prior to the swearing-in of the Knesset, aiming to dismantle the outgoing government's legal changes before a new cabinet is formed. Reports last week indicated that the bloc initially planned to prioritize judicial legislation while deferring the state inquiry bill; however, the inquiry proposal has now been officially submitted.
Simultaneously, opposition leaders reached agreements regarding key leadership positions in the 26th Knesset. Under the arrangement, Matan Kahana is slated to succeed Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, Roey Folkman will chair the House Committee, and Avigdor Lieberman will head the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Committees handling judicial and democratic legislation are expected to be assigned to representatives of The Democrats party.
