Israel opens new parliament amid planned protests
Lawmakers will swear in Tuesday under a strict schedule of military honors and choral performances, while right-wing groups stage demonstrations outside.
By Amit Ricci ·
For the 120 members of the incoming Israeli parliament, Tuesday begins not with policy debates but with a rigid choreography of formalities. Arrivals start at 8:00 a.m., when new lawmakers receive lapel flowers and pose for commemorative photos with relatives. Two robots, named Mr. Weil and Mrs. Chagall, assist at the Visitors Center. The day involves a full schedule of official portraits and a building tour conducted the previous day to cover legislative procedures and administrative duties.
The formal proceedings in the Knesset plaza begin at 3:20 p.m. President Isaac Herzog arrives with a motorcycle escort and mounted horsemen. A Knesset Guard parade and trumpet fanfares from the IDF Orchestra precede the raising of the presidential flag. Herzog and Speaker Amir Ohana inspect the honor guard, and Herzog lays wreaths at memorials for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorist attacks.
Herzog signs the President’s Book before entering the plenum with Ohana. At 4:00 p.m., Secretary-General Dan Marzouk announces the President’s entrance, prompting a standing ovation accompanied by three trumpet fanfares. Herzog opens the session with three gavel strikes and a short address. He then invites Ohana to take the oath and assume the chair.
The swearing-in process is methodical. Marzouk calls each of the 120 members by name. They stand individually to pledge allegiance. The ceremony includes a reading of Psalm 122 by Avi Harush, whose son, Sgt. Reef Harush, died in the southern Gaza Strip in April 2024. Screens display excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, narrated by the voice of Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion.
The session concludes with the national anthem, Hatikvah, performed by the Pirchei Ashkelon children’s choir. Party leaders then gather in Chagall Hall for a group photograph. Ohana and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu address the assembly. Singer Harel Skaat performs two songs, and Ohana ends the event with a blessing over wine.
Outside the parliamentary buildings, several right-wing groups have planned demonstrations. Organizations including Im Tirtzu, the Mothers’ March, and the Reservists Generation of Victory movement will demonstrate against the appointment of the current speaker. Their slogan opposes replacing the speaker with votes from those they describe as Hamas supporters. The Knesset Guard has prepared for the protests while maintaining a heightened alert.
Authorities state they have no information indicating plans to block entry for lawmakers or other attendees. The new Knesset, which marks the 26th term of the Israeli legislature, begins its work immediately after the ceremonial toasts.
