Jerusalem: Israel’s new parliament has sworn in after the right-wing bloc won the elections two weeks ago.
The 120 elected lawmakers were sworn-in at a session of the parliament, or Knesset, on Tuesday hosted by President Isaac Herzog, Xinhua news agency reported.
During the session, Herzog urged unity and understanding among lawmakers, as Israelis “are exhausted from the infighting and the fallout” after going through five elections in nearly four years.
He called on the lawmakers to take “the responsibility of weaning us off this addiction to never-ending conflicts,” and to protect the rights of the minorities, who fear “their needs will not be on the agenda.”
The election victory by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and three ultra-nationalist parties with anti-Arab stand has aroused concerns about widening political rift in the country.
Netanyahu, supported by 64 seats of the 120-seat Knesset, is expected to head the next government. On Sunday, Herzog tasked him with forming a coalition government.
Under Israeli law, Netanyahu is required to present a coalition government before a mid-December deadline or the president would appoint another lawmaker to form a government.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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