The first session of Israel’s new parliament, the Knesset, was marked by strong political tensions, shouting and clashes between lawmakers, just minutes after the legislators were sworn in.
The repeated interruptions and heated debates exposed divisions between political camps, signaling the difficulties that are expected to accompany negotiations on forming the new government.
Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, who opened the inaugural session, called on parties to set aside their differences and cooperate to form a government. However, the appeal for compromise did not stop the clashes, which began in the first minutes of the session.