Lawmakers of the 26th Knesset walked out of their swearing-in ceremony Tuesday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded an investigation into foreign influence in the recent elections. During the session, Naftali Bennett interrupted the prime minister’s speech to call for a state inquiry into the October 7 attacks and questioned Netanyahu’s failure to declare Qatar an enemy state, citing the prime minister’s use of Qatari advisers.
The convening of the 120 member parliament comes as Gadi Eisenkot attempts to assemble a coalition to replace Netanyahu, who has lost his parliamentary majority. While the Change Bloc has proposed candidates for key positions, including Matan Kahana for Knesset speaker, the incoming chamber faces internal division over military conscription and the role of Arab parties. The session also highlighted a unique demographic shift, with 47 new members and approximately 10% of the parliament having lost family members to conflict or terrorism.
