Just minutes after the lawmakers were sworn in, the first sitting of Israel’s new parliament, the Knesset, was marked by debates, shouting and interruptions to speeches. The clashes highlighted the divisions between the political forces, as negotiations to form a new government are expected to begin.
The inaugural session was opened by President Isaac Herzog, who called on the parties to overcome their disagreements and find a common solution for forming the government. His appeal for compromise did not prevent clashes between the political leaders.
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Before the session began, opposition leader Gandhi Eisenkot said he aimed to form a new government as quickly as possible and end Benjamin Netanyahu’s rule.
The outgoing prime minister, for his part, reiterated his call for a national unity government. In his speech, Netanyahu portrayed Iran as a threat, saying that Tehran was attempting to revive its nuclear program.
According to Netanyahu, the threat he described as existential can disappear permanently only if the ayatollahs’ regime is overthrown. He called on the parties to set aside their political interests and unite in a common government in the face of these dangers.
During his speech, Netanyahu accused the Arab parties Raam and the Joint List of seeking to destroy Israel. He warned his political opponents not to count on their votes to form a governing coalition, prompting reactions from the opposition.
Eisenkot described the outgoing prime minister’s speech as deceptive, divisive and shameful. He said Netanyahu had used the parliament’s official swearing-in ceremony for political propaganda and argued that his continued hold on power was deepening divisions in Israeli society and endangering the country’s security.
The debate also focused on Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, and alleged ties to Qatar. Opposition leader Naftali Bennett, along with other lawmakers, interrupted Netanyahu several times to demand explanations about the alleged ties between some of his associates and Qatar, and about his refusal to establish a state commission of inquiry into the attack.
As Netanyahu spoke about the Arab parties’ positions toward Israel, Bennett loudly questioned him about the investigation into the events of October 7, his advisers linked to Qatar, and why he had not declared Qatar an enemy state.
Ofir Katz, head of the Likud parliamentary group, also intervened in the debate. Addressing Bennett, he told him to investigate the matter with “your Tibi and Abbas,” referring to lawmaker Ahmed Tibi and Raam leader Mansur Abbas.
Democratic Party leader Yair Golan walked out of the plenary hall in protest, together with his party’s lawmakers. Meanwhile, lawmaker Gilad Kariv continued his accusations against the prime minister, shouting at him and asking how much money he had received from Qatar.
The swearing-in ceremony was also marked by tensions. Outgoing far-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir clashed with Yousef Jabari, the leader of the main Arab faction, the Joint List, whom he accused of supporting Hamas. Immediately after the Arab lawmaker was sworn in, Ben Gvir asked him whether he pledged his loyalty to Hamas.
The clashes during the first session demonstrated the depth of the political divisions in Israel. Forming the new government is expected to require negotiations between rival camps, whose confrontations began on the very day the lawmakers were sworn in.
