From the Liveblog of
Thursday, December 29, 2022
Netanyahu heckled during speech; sets out goals of stopping Iran, fighting crime, developing periphery
Carrie Keller-Lynn is a former political and legal correspondent for The Times of Israel
Before presenting his government to the Knesset, incoming prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu presents his agenda to the Knesset plenum, outlining three big missions for his coalition: stopping Iran’s nuclear program, developing state infrastructure — with an emphasis on connecting the so-called periphery to the center of the country — and restoring internal security and governance to Israel.
Netanyahu welcomes notables, including incoming Knesset speaker Amir Ohana and his partner Alon Haddad — a deliberate move given criticism of anti-LGBTQ statements and legislative proposals by far-right parties in his incoming coalition.
Netanyahu also says that his government will combat the rising cost of living and improve education.
His opening remarks are interrupted by prolonged chants of “Weak! Weak!” from the incoming opposition benches, starting a minutes-long back-and-forth that results in the ejection of several Yesh Atid lawmakers and others.
Turning to their benches, Netanyahu accuses opposition lawmakers of not accepting the results of the November 1 general election.
“Knesset members, I don’t have to hear your shouts to know we have some disagreements,” Netanyahu says, “but some things we agree upon.”
“Losing elections isn’t the end of democracy — it’s the essence of democracy,” he says. “In a democracy, we don’t climb the fences of the Capitol, and we don’t climb the fences of the Knesset.”
Ending his remarks by donning a kippa and reciting the shehecheyanu prayer on a new beginning, Netanyahu then introduces his 30-plus-member government.
