Tense scenes occurred inside the Israeli parliament as newly elected members were sworn in on Tuesday, involving a heated exchange between Sara Netanyahu and opposition leader Naftali Bennett during caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s impassioned speech in the Knesset.
His Yashar Party also announced that it had secured enough signatures to hold a vote on replacing Netanyahu-backed Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana. Netanyahu, who will remain as Israel’s caretaker Prime Minister until a new government is formed, launched a sharp attack on Arab parties, the Joint List and Ra’am, who could potentially ally with Eisenkot’s opposition bloc to form a new government. Why don’t you declare Qatar an enemy state? What about your Qatari advisers? This prompted a heated response from Sara Netanyahu, who was seen arguing with Bennett over his ties with Arab parties.
Eisenkot, who received the mandate to form the next Israeli government after securing the support of 67 lawmakers, pledged to reverse many of the previous government’s policies . “What about a State Commission of Inquiry (into October 7)?
He called it “shameful” and “forbidden” to form a “dangerous government” reliant on Arab-majority parties, labelling them as “terror supporters. Bennett said, referring to allegations that two of Netanyahu’s advisers had been paid to promote Qatari interests while working in the Prime Minister’s Office. Far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Likud faction chairman Ofir Katz also shouted back at Bennett, according to The Times of Israel .
Eisenkot has six weeks to build a coalition to form the next government. If he fails, Israeli President Isaac Herzog is expected to give Netanyahu a second chance to form a government. However, Netanyahu can pursue appointments and block new bills in his caretaker role.
