26th Knesset Sworn In Amid Emotional and Political Moments

The 26th Knesset was sworn in Tuesday at the Knesset building in Jerusalem in a festive ceremony attended by President Yitzhak Herzog and the 120 elected members of Knesset. Alongside the traditional oaths of allegiance, the plenum witnessed several emotional, political, and unusual moments. Notably, new Likud MK Elisha Mardan stood on his prosthetic legs from his wheelchair to take the oath, drawing prolonged applause from members of various factions. This moment held special significance as it occurred exactly three years after Mardan was critically injured on November 10, 2023, losing both his legs and four comrades during an operation in northern Gaza.

Another significant political moment occurred during the singing of "Hatikvah," Israel's national anthem. Members of the Joint List faction, as in previous ceremonies, left the plenum. However, Ra'am Chairman Mansour Abbas remained in the hall, highlighting the divergent political paths of the two Arab parties. Abbas's decision to stay underscored the differences between Ra'am and the Joint List.

The ceremony also served as a reminder of the heavy toll of the ongoing war. Nine of the new Knesset members have lost a relative in the October 7th attacks or the subsequent war, including Gadi Eisenkot, whose son and two nephews were killed, and Shira Shapira, Talik Guili, and Sharon Sharabi, who also lost family members. The swearing-in ceremony, therefore, combined festivity and political tension with personal stories of loss and resilience.

In a unique human interest story, it was revealed that Elisha Mardan of the Likud and Yair Fink of the Democrats are both alumni of the Ma'ale Gilboa yeshiva. The head of the yeshiva sent them a congratulatory letter, urging them to transform their political differences into opportunities for cooperation and to present a new model for discourse.