Israel’s new Knesset officially unveiled

On November 10, Israeli members attended the opening ceremony of the 26th Knesset at the Knesset in Jerusalem. Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Jill Cohen Magen)

New members of Israel’s 26th Knesset were sworn in on the 10th, and the Knesset held its first meeting that day.

The new parliament consists of 120 members, 46 of whom were elected for the first time. The right-wing camp led by caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lost its majority in the parliamentary election held on October 27.

Integrity Party leader Gadi Eisenkot said that day that more than 61 members of parliament had signed a petition calling for the removal of current Speaker Amir Ohana from the Likud Party and the nomination of Integrity Party member Matan Kahana to take over. Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Israel is Our Home party and a key ally of Eisenkot, is expected to chair the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Netanyahu said in his speech that Iran is “trying to restart the nuclear weapons process” and that the only way to eliminate this “threat” is to “overthrow the Iranian regime.” He once again called on all parties to form a “national unity government” with him.

On November 10, Israeli members attended the opening ceremony of the 26th Knesset at the Knesset in Jerusalem. Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Jill Cohen Magen)

According to Israeli media reports on the 10th, the four-party alliance composed of right-wing, centrist and left-wing parties that Eisencott relies on also submitted a number of bills that day, including calling for the establishment of a national investigative committee to investigate whether the Netanyahu government had dereliction of duty when the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) raided Israel in 2023, limiting the term of the prime minister and abolishing the current government’s judicial reform legislation.

Israeli President Herzog officially authorized Eisenkot to form a new government on the 8th. According to Israeli law, Esenkot has 28 days to form a new government, and can apply for an extension of up to 14 days if necessary. Netanyahu will continue to serve as caretaker prime minister until the new government is sworn in.