New Knesset Finance Committee chair faces conflict-of-interest concern over husband's business ties

The Tuesday announcement by leaders of the opposition bloc nominating MK Liran Avisar Ben-Horin of the B'Yachad party to serve as temporary chair of the 26th Knesset Finance Committee has brought potential conflicts of interest arising from her husband's commercial activities to the surface.

Avisar Ben-Horin is married to Itai Ben-Horin, who holds a 50 percent stake in the strategic consulting, public relations, and crisis management firm Ben-Horin Alexandrovitz.

The firm provides spokesperson and communications advice to a central corridor of prominent Israeli companies, including Mizrahi Tefahot Bank, the credit card company Cal, Strauss Group, the pharmaceutical giant Teva, the investment house Altshuler Shaham, Fox Group, Samsung, Ashtrom, SolarEdge, Africa Israel, and the NTA Metropolitan Mass Transit System.

The powers of the Finance Committee include approving budgetary transfers, adjustments to the state budget, tax legislation, and promoting structural economic reforms, all of which directly impact these companies and sectors such as banking, retail, and energy.

Under Knesset regulations, members of Knesset are not bound by the conflict-of-interest agreements standard in the public service. Instead, they are required to disclose any personal interest or affinity during committee discussions and votes. Consequently, during deliberations directly concerning clients of her husband's firm, the designated chair must declare her connection to them.

Conflict-of-interest agreement signed during tenure in Communications Ministry

Furthermore, during her tenure as director-general of the Communications Ministry between 2020 and 2023, Avisar Ben-Horin signed a formal conflict-of-interest agreement. As part of that arrangement, she committed to submitting a quarterly list of major clients handled by Ben-Horin Alexandrovitz and files under her husband's personal care, and to refraining from involvement in decisions that could create a conflict of interest.

In addition to her husband's business activities, Avisar Ben-Horin served until recently as a senior officer at the infrastructure and investment fund Keystone. The fund holds a controlling interest in the Egged transportation company, owns 40 percent of Hot Mobile, and holds stakes in the Hagit Mizrach and Ramat Hovav power stations (via Keystone Power), Sunflower, and the Ashkelon desalination plant.

Keystone's sectors of operation are directly influenced by central government decisions. Egged relies on operating agreements and government subsidies, portions of which pass through the Finance Committee (as approved in past budgetary transfers in 2019). Tax legislation, levies, and regulation affect the power stations and renewable energy assets, while desalination facilities operate under state concessions that may require committee budgeting.

Avisar Ben-Horin, who holds a Law degree from New York University and previously served as director-general of the Communications Ministry, steps into the committee role as budgetary transfers, surplus allocations, and economic reform deliberations top the agenda. The legal and procedural challenge facing her will be managing committee meetings and votes given the substantial business ties of her immediate circle and her professional background.

B'Yachad defends Ben-Horin's appointment to Finance Committee chair

The B'Yachad party released a statement in response: "Liran Avisar Ben-Horin will assume her position and act on behalf of the Israeli public in accordance with the law and proper governance standards, including conflict-of-interest arrangements, as she has done across all public roles over the past twenty years, including as director-general of the Communications Ministry and chief of staff to the director-general of the Prime Minister's Office."

Meanwhile, Deputy Knesset Speaker MK Limor Son Har-Melech (Otzma Yehudit) submitted an urgent request to Knesset Legal Adviser Sagit Afik, demanding an immediate freeze and review of Avisar Ben-Horin's designated appointment to head the Finance Committee. In her letter, Son Har-Melech warned of an inherent conflict of interest stemming from the family firm's business relationships with prominent corporate entities in banking, capital markets, real estate, energy, and retail.

Son Har-Melech noted that the committee chair has sole authority to set the agenda, schedule sessions, and advance economic decisions, rather than merely vote. She questioned whether the committee could formulate an effective conflict-of-interest arrangement for the role, citing the previous arrangement required during Avisar Ben-Horin's tenure at the Communications Ministry.

"The Finance Committee cannot become a venue where family business interests potentially conflict with the public interest," a statement on behalf of MK Son Har-Melech read. "The issue is not merely how one votes in a specific discussion, but control over the agenda and decisions promoted or delayed. Therefore, a thorough legal review must be completed before any appointment is approved."