A heated exchange broke out in Israel’s Knesset on Tuesday, November 10, involving Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former prime minister Naftali Bennett during her husband’s address to the newly elected parliament.
Footage of the incident shows Sara Netanyahu shouting at Bennett after he interrupted the prime minister’s speech to question him over allegations involving Qatar and the investigation into the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. The video has since circulated on social media.
Netanyahu, who will remain caretaker prime minister until a new government is formed, used his address to criticise the possibility of an opposition coalition relying on Arab political parties, including the Joint List and Ra’am.
The parties could potentially support a government led by opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot. Netanyahu described such an arrangement as “shameful” and “forbidden”, accusing the Arab-majority parties of supporting terrorism.
“To those who are thinking of establishing a government with these people, I say: Are you prepared to be dependent on those whose purpose is the destruction of the Jewish state? You would place the fate of our country into their hands?” he said, according to The Washington Post.
Netanyahu also called for an investigation into allegations that Qatar had spent “big money” to increase Arab voter turnout in the October elections.
His remarks prompted Bennett to interrupt the address and question why the caretaker prime minister had not declared Qatar an enemy state.
“What about a State Commission of Inquiry (into October 7)? Why don’t you declare Qatar an enemy state? What about your Qatari advisers?” Bennett asked, referring to allegations that two of Netanyahu’s advisers had received payments to promote Qatari interests while working in the Prime Minister’s Office.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir intervened, accusing Bennett of associating with the Arab Joint List and calling him a “shameless man” and a “worthless nobody”.
Watch the video here
Sara Netanyahu, who was seated in the visitors’ gallery, joined the exchange and directed her remarks at Bennett over his political associations.
“You sit with the Arab Joint List, you worthless man! Shame on you! You shameless man!” she shouted.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana attempted to restore order, describing the behaviour as disrespectful. Bennett responded that Netanyahu was the one who showed disrespect.
The commotion briefly interrupted the prime minister’s address. Netanyahu turned towards the front row as the argument unfolded before resuming his speech.
Eisenkot criticises Netanyahu’s address
The parliamentary confrontation also drew criticism from former Israel Defence Forces (IDF) chief Gadi Eisenkot, who accused Netanyahu of using an important state occasion to advance his political interests.
Describing the speech as “shameful”, Eisenkot criticised the caretaker prime minister’s use of the parliamentary platform.
The parliamentary scenes unfolded amid uncertainty over the formation of Israel’s next government following the October 27 elections. Netanyahu’s Likud-led bloc secured 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while parties opposed to him collectively hold 67.
President Isaac Herzog tasked Eisenkot with forming the next government on November 8. He faces the challenge of securing the support required to reach the 61-seat threshold for a parliamentary majority.
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Source: The Siasat Daily
