The Knesset welcomed the members of parliament elected on October 27 on Tuesday. Speaker Isaac Herzog urged them to find compromises across party lines to avoid new elections.
But the politicians did not listen.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who looks set to relinquish power, used his speech to accuse the Arab-Israeli parties in parliament of “destroying the Jewish state” while also calling for unity to defend Israel against international pressure to “accept a nuclear-armed Iran” in the near future.
October 7 Commission
This prompted opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, who was given the chance to try to form a government this weekend, to respond to Netanyahu on X: “I sat and listened to the ravings of the outgoing prime minister, a hateful and shameful speech. I am more convinced than ever that he is not capable of remaining in office for a single minute more.”
His party, Yashar, also submitted a proposal in the Knesset to form an independent commission to investigate any wrongdoing in the run-up to Hamas' bloody attack on October 7, 2023, which Netanyahu has consistently refused to do.
Left the chamber
The Arab-Israeli opposition won the election, and Israel's largest Arab party alliance, the Joint List, has sided with Eisenkot's coalition.
During the opening of parliament, the Arab-Israeli politicians left the chamber, according to Israeli journalists, to avoid standing for the Israeli national anthem.
By then, far-right Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had already heckled Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen as he was sworn in.
Who is he swearing his allegiance to, Hamas? Ben-Gvir shouted.
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