Knesset Elects Otzma Yehudit MK To JSC, Opposition Leader Gantz Calls For Resumption Of Talks

The Knesset elected Otzma Yehudit MK Yitzhak Kreuzer as parliament's second representative to the Judicial Selection Committee (JSC), filling a seat that was left vacant after the first round of voting returned only one appointee, opposition Yesh Atid MK Karine Elharrar.

• Last month's election was conducted in the atmosphere of intense infighting among coalition parties, with some Likud MKs defecting to back Elharrar's bid. Another Likud MK defied Prime Minister Netanyahu's instruction to pull out of the race and thus delay the poll, but expectedly failed to secure the seat.
• In the second round of voting today, lawmakers elected Yitzhak Kreuzer to join the panel tasked with selecting judges. Otzma Yehudit was entitled to nominate the coalition's candidate to the JSC under its pact with Likud. The outcome of the election preserves the traditional split of the two seats between the two sides of the aisle.
• The opposition fielded two candidates in the second round of voting with the sole purpose of preventing the government from repeating its earlier attempt to kick the can down the road by withdrawing candidates. Kreuzer won by a landslide, securing 86 votes - including some from opposition benches.
• Opposition National Unity leader Benny Gantz called on moderate coalition members to facilitate a return to the negotiating table after his party helped elect Kreuzer to the JSC. Talks on the contentious judicial overhaul collapsed last month over the government's refusal to convene the JSC.