The Knesset Committee has approved the split between the Machane Tzioni and The Movement parties. 18 seats go to Machane Tzioni and 6 to The Movement.

**Machane Tzioni chairman Avi Gabbai appoints MK Shelly Yacimovich to replace Tzipi Livni as Opposition Leader in Knesset.

**Following the rumors, it is now final. Veteran MK Menachem Eliezer Moses, the Vishnitzer Rebbe’s Shlita representative in Knesset, is retiring, to be replaced by Yanki Tessler. Tessler is currently an advisor to Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman’s. Tessler must resign that post for the law demands that a civil servant leaves his post 100 days before elections. However, in the case of early elections, Tessler may still leave his post until this Thursday. Moses, 72, has been serving in Knesset since 2009. It is reported the decision for him to step down came from the Rebbe, not himself.

**Naftali Bennet reportedly offered Ofer Berkowitz the party’s third slot. Berkowitz, who is not right-wing, recently lost the Jerusalem mayoral race to Mosh Leon.

**Former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon today announced the founding of his new party, Telem, a Hebrew acronym for National Statesman-like Movement.
(תל”ם – תנועה לאומית ממלכתית). He did not announce who else will join his party list.

**Jerusalem Post Deputy Managing Editor Caroline Glick announces she is joining the New Right party headed by Naftali Bennet.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)