The future coalition has condemned itself to being born in pain
The Knesset swearing-in ceremony is an event that’s supposed to take place every four years, at the end of the term recognized by Israeli law. One by one, the newly elected members enter the Knesset building, the most secure location in the State of Israel. Ringed with electric security fences and protected by a special security unit, the Knesset Guard, even Israeli police and the IDF can’t enter this fortified compound without special permission.
The guards are decked out in full dress uniform in honor of the occasion, and a red carpet greets the members in the entrance hall. At they walk in, a blue and white rosette is pinned to their lapels, marking them as newly sworn-in MKs.
In the plenum itself, facing the nation’s president, the MKs stand up one after another to declare: “I pledge to remain loyal to the State of Israel and faithfully fulfill my duties as a member of the Knesset.” At the end of the swearing-in ceremony comes the official gala in the Chagall State Hall, which is also where the party leaders pose for their traditional photo with the president.
The swearing-in of the 25th Knesset — the fifth since 2019 — was supposed to be a festive occasion for the right-religious bloc. At the end of five snap elections in less than four years, Israeli voters had delivered a decisive verdict, handing the right-wing bloc under outgoing opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu a clear majority with 64 seats.
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