MK Eitan Cabel
MK Eitan CabelMiriam Alster/Flash 90

MK Eitan Cabel will serve as the chairman of the Knesset's Economic Affairs Committee, as a representative of Zionist Union, the opposition's largest party.

Cabel and fellow Zionist Union MK Shelly Yechimovich battled it out for the position on Monday during a Labor party faction meeting, with Cabel successfully beating out the former Labor leader 18 votes to 13. 

The vote, which took place via secret ballot, occurred despite several unsuccessful attempts on the part of party chairman Yitzhak Herzog to negotiate a unanimous solution. 

Immediately after the vote, Herzog expressed happiness at the "short and clean election process held by the faction." 

"Socially-minded Shelly Yechimovich is without a doubt one of the strongest and most important leaders in our faction and the Knesset as a whole. Her senior status at the top of our list will enable us to continue leading for the benefit of the citizens of Israel."

"To MK Eitan Cabel, I am grateful he carried the management of the faction and the opposition in the last Knesset, and I wish him great success in leading the Economic Affairs Committee against the awful, dangerous plans of the Netanyahu government."

The chairmanship of the Economic Affairs Committee is the only significant role traditionally tasked to the Knesset's opposition, and is usually delivered to the largest opposition party. 

Aside from the chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee, the only other committee chaired by a representative of the opposition is the State Control Committee.