Israel swears in new parliament as opposition moves to oust Netanyahu

Israel has inaugurated a new parliament following its October 27 general election, as opposition lawmakers begin efforts to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from power and reverse some of his government’s policies.

The 120-member 26th Knesset was sworn in on Tuesday, November 10, against the backdrop of uncertainty over the formation of a new government, after Netanyahu’s Likud-led alliance failed to win enough seats to secure a parliamentary majority.

Netanyahu continues to serve as caretaker prime minister while political parties negotiate the formation of a new governing coalition.

President Isaac Herzog on Sunday tasked former military chief and leader of the Yashar party, Gadi Eisenkot, with forming the next government.

Eisenkot has six weeks to gather sufficient support to establish a coalition, but the election results have left both major political blocs short of the 61 seats needed for a majority in the Knesset.

Netanyahu’s alliance controls 53 seats, while Eisenkot’s bloc has 48. Arab-led parties hold the remaining 19 seats.

Shortly after the inauguration, opposition lawmakers began advancing legislative proposals aimed at reversing key decisions taken by Netanyahu’s outgoing government.

The proposals include setting up a state commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, introducing a limit on the number of terms a prime minister can serve and scrapping the controversial judicial overhaul pursued by Netanyahu’s administration.

The opposition has also started moves to remove Knesset Speaker, Amir Ohana, a close ally of Netanyahu, and replace him with Matan Kahana, a member of Eisenkot’s party.

Addressing lawmakers during the ceremony, Netanyahu called for the formation of a unity government but criticised the prospect of opposition parties depending on Arab-led groups to secure a parliamentary majority.

Eisenkot faulted the prime minister’s remarks, describing them as divisive.

Herzog, in his address, appealed to lawmakers to embrace compromise and prevent another general election, stressing the need for political stability in the country.

If Eisenkot is unable to form a government within the six weeks, Netanyahu could be given another opportunity to secure a coalition. Should both attempts fail, Israel may be forced to hold another election.