Swearing-in Ceremony Ends; Arab Knesset Members Leave Plenum During HaTikvah

In depth

At the end of the swearing-in ceremony of the 26th Knesset, after all 120 Knesset members had pledged allegiance, 19 Arab Knesset members left the plenum as the national anthem began. Mansour Abbas, chairman of Ra'am, remained in his seat and did not sing the anthem.

Members of the Joint List faction left the plenum during the singing of the anthem, HaTikvah. Abbas and Yaakov Asher stood during the anthem but refused to sing.

Earlier, Minister Ben Gvir called out to Youssef Jabareen, chairman of the Joint List, during his swearing-in: "Who are you pledging allegiance to? Hamas?!" When the Arab Knesset members returned to the plenum, Knesset members confronted them. MK Tally Gotliv shouted during the singing of HaTikvah following the walkout.