The ceremony, during which all 120 lawmakers took the oath of office, was marked by political confrontations and appeals for unity, with President Isaac Herzog urging the newly elected parliament to avoid another election and address the country’s military conscription dispute.
The Yashar party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, announced that 67 lawmakers had signed a formal request to remove Ohana and nominate former minister Matan Kahana as his replacement. The Change Bloc had earlier secured the 61 signatures needed to initiate the process, with a vote expected next week.
President Isaac Herzog (lft), Knesset speaker Amir Ohana (rt), Nov 10, 2026. (Screenshot: YouTube)
Addressing the new parliament, Netanyahu warned that Iran was seeking to rebuild its nuclear program despite the damage inflicted by Israeli military operations.
“Iran has not abandoned its plan to destroy Israel. After we pushed back the immediate existential threat posed by the Iranian nuclear program, Iran is working to revive that program.”
Netanyahu argued that permanently eliminating the threat required overthrowing Iran’s leadership and called on lawmakers to set aside political differences and establish a national unity government.
His speech turned confrontational when Naftali Bennett, chairman of B’Yachad, interrupted Netanyahu’s demand for an investigation into foreign interference in the elections.
“What about investigating the events of October 7? What about your Qatari advisers? Why don’t you declare Qatar an enemy state?” Bennett demanded.
Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beitenu (lft), B’Yachad head Naftali Bennett (rt) listen to Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the Knesset on Oct 10, 2026. (Screenshot: YouTube)
Netanyahu also criticized the Arab political parties, prompting Democrats chairman Yair Golan and several Arab lawmakers to leave the chamber.
Earlier, Herzog had called for a comprehensive investigation into the October 7 massacre and urged parliament to address the burden of military service, including the responsibilities of regular soldiers and reservists.
Ohana, meanwhile, warned that Hamas remained a threat despite suffering severe losses and urged political cooperation on national security.
The ceremony also included a tribute to newly elected MK Elisha Medan, who lost both legs during the war.
Source: Iwpost.com
