Tense swearing-in session of Knesset in Israel marked by heckling and taunts

• Caretaker prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was interrupted by former PM Naftali Benneett when Netanyahu attacked Arab lawmakers. What abut your Qatari advisors, shouted Bennett while insinuating that Netanyahu had prior knowledge of the Hamas attack of 7 October

• Sara Netanyahu, wife of the caretaker PM, shouted back at Bennett and there was an exchange of words inside the Parliament as Benjamin Netanyahu watched

• When an Arab lawmaker was being sworn in, he was asked whether his allegiance was to Israel

Gadi Eisenkot, the leader of the Opposition bloc picked by Israeli President Isaac Herzog to try and form the next coalition government, tweeted on Tuesday, “I sat and listened to the outgoing prime minister’s delusional, divisive, hateful and disgraceful speech, in which he abused a state occasion at the swearing-in of the 26th Knesset. I became even more convinced that he is unfit to remain in office for even one more minute. We must act urgently to establish a national emergency government. His continued rule is dividing Israel and endangering its security.”

Eisenkot in his own address described the caretaker PM’s speech as ‘shameful’ and an abuse of a ceremonial occasion. Netanyahu using the occasion to attack Arab parties, who with 19 members have offered their support to Eisenkot, and warn of the consequences of negotiating with them for government-formation inflamed passions. Former PM Naftali Bennett yelled from his seat, “What about your Qatari advisors? Are they okay?” He also raised the 7 October attack by Hamas and insinuated that Netanyahu had prior knowledge of it.

Ben Gvir, a Netanyahu ally, shouted back at Bennett and reportedly said, “You insolent jerk. You sit with the Joint List and you want to talk? You clown.” At this point Sarah Netanyahu also joined in and questioned Bennett.

After the session an Arab lawmaker Mansour Abbas recalled Netanyahu telling him that he and Sinwar, the Hamas leader, understood each other. Netanyahu asked him, “Did you see what he sent me? He sent me a note: ‘Take a calculated risk”. Mansour said on TV, “I had no understanding with Yahya Sinwar, but Netanyahu did. He went to bed with his understanding with Sinwar and abandoned the security of the people of the State of Israel.”

When an Arab lawmaker Yousef Jabarin stood up to take the oath, a far-right minister interrupted him and asked, “Who are you pledging allegiance to? Hamas?” This started the series of altercations that prompted the Speaker to warn that anyone interrupting the session would be removed. Jabarin, a lawyer and law professor,

who leads the “Joint Arab List,” an alliance of several political forces, including his party, the “Democratic Front for Peace and Equality, responded publicly after the session. “Jabareen responded publicly and pledged to "kick the Kahanist Ben-Gvir out of power as soon as possible."

Several Arab Knesset members left the chamber before or during the singing of Israel's national anthem while others kept standing but did not sing. Arabs object to the anthem and say that it does not address the entire population of Israel.

Netanyahu called for a broad national-unity government. He argued that Israel would soon face international pressure regarding Iran and warned against accepting a nuclear-armed Iran. He sharply criticised Arab political parties and questioned the wisdom of relying on them in a governing coalition. He suggested that some Arab political factions sought objectives incompatible with maintaining Israel as a Jewish state. The danger is outside Israel, he suggested and exhorted elected members to put political differences aside and unite against Iran and other security threats.

Eisenkot responded almost immediately, calling Netanyahu's speech "delusional, divisive, hate-filled, and disgraceful". He argued that Netanyahu was using fear and division, particularly regarding Arab citizens and Arab parties, rather than trying to heal political fractures.

News agencies and media outlets like Reuters, Jerusalem Post, Ynet, AFP and others reported on the charged scenes inside Knesset. New members arrived with family members and posed for commemorative photographs. Lawmakers received a ceremonial flower for their lapels and the Knesset visitors' centre reportedly showcased two guide robots, "Mr. Weil" and "Mrs. Chagall." However cordiality was missing mostly as rivals laughed and jeered at opponents.