Some of the coalition’s most controversial proposals will have an easier time passing now that the coalition has been expanded to 66 seats.

The Knesset’s summer session, beginning Monday, was likely to be interesting even before the latest coalition shake-ups.

Now, however, summer in the Knesset is looking to be hotter than expected, even though the session may get off to a slow start thanks to The Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York, which features five members of the coalition among its speakers.

The absence of the conference attendees, plus departing defense minister Moshe Ya’alon, means that even with a five-seat boost from Yisrael Beytenu, the coalition will have only 60 members in attendance. Still, the opposition only has 54 members (one of whom took part in the conference), so no dramatic losses are expected for the coalition.

This week will feature the procedural aftermath of the political deals: Voting Yisrael Beytenu ministers into the government; MK Orly Levy-Abecassis (Yisrael Beytenu) officially leaving her party; and Yehuda Glick’s swearing-in as a new Likud MK in Ya’alon’s stead.

Then, the real work will begin: Passing bills and working on the budget. Continue reading