Israel swears in new parliament, most ultraconservative in history
JERUSALEM — After nearly four years of political deadlock and five elections, Israel on Tuesday swore in the most right-wing parliament in its history.
Prime Ministerdesignate Benjamin Netanyahu is working to cobble together a far-right and religious governing coalition in the 120-seat parliament, or Knesset. Jewish left-leaning parties — long the champions of negotiations with the Palestinians — suffered major losses in the Nov. 1 election.
The surging popularity of a right-wing alliance helped propel Netanyahu’s political comeback even as he stands trial on corruption charges. Lawmakers burst into applause as Netanyahu took the stage for a photo with other party leaders after the ceremony.
The 25th Knesset was sworn into office with trumpets and choral music just hours after a Palestinian assailant went on a deadly rampage in an Israeli-controlled industrial zone in the occupied West Bank, killing three Israelis and wounding three more before being shot dead.
Netanyahu’s likely right-wing coalition partners have vowed to act aggressively against Palestinian attackers and protect Israelis. Itamar Ben Gvir, an ultranationalist lawmaker who appears set to receive a position in the next government, called Tuesday’s attack proof “only an iron fist will stamp out terrorism.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog appealed for national unity in his speech after the country’s five divisive elections, saying Israelis are “exhausted from the infighting and its fallout.”
“Now, the responsibility lies ... with you, the public’s elected representatives,” he said. “Responsibility to try to wean us off this addiction to neverending conflicts.”
The new parliament replaces one of the most colorful and diverse in Israel’s history, which had an all-time high of 36 women and a small Arab Islamist party in the government coalition for the first time in history. This Knesset has just 29 women. Its 23 new lawmakers mostly come from Netanyahu’s Likud party and the alliance of far-right parties known as Religious Zionism.