Netanyahu draws calls of 'hate speech' in the newly elected Israeli parliament

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was accused of giving a "hate-filled speech" against the Palestinian-led parties in the newly elected parliament on Tuesday. On Tuesday, two weeks after Netanyahu's far-right bloc lost the elections following an historic voter turnout from Palestinian citizens of Israel, the parliament was sworn in in Jerusalem, with an unprecedented 19 members from the Palestinian-led Joint List alliance and Ra'am party. Marking the ceremonial day, Netanyahu initially told the new Knesset members that Israel was facing "great threats" from Iran's nuclear programme, stating that "the only way to remove this existential threat permanently is by toppling the regime of the ayatollahs". However, after boasting about Israeli military achievements in the occupied Palestinian territories, Syria, Lebanon and Iran, Netanyahu began lashing out at the Palestinian-led parties. The Israeli premier said that Israel must "set aside every other consideration and form a national unity government" with his main challenger Gadi Eisenkot. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters "Only such a government will be able to meet challenges of this magnitude," he said, accusing Eisenkot's broad bloc of otherwise wanting to form "a government that includes within it terror supporters, haters of Israel". Netanyahu clarified he was not referring to Palestinian citizens of Israel as a whole - some of whom, he said, voted for his Likud party. 'Are you prepared to be dependent on those whose purpose is the destruction of the Jewish state?' - Benjamin Netanyahu "I am talking about people whose ideology is hatred of Israel and the destruction of the Jewish state. People who say Hamas is just a charitable organisation," he said, referring to Ra'am and the Joint List. "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?" He continued, claiming - falsely - that both Ra'am and the Joint List "agree that the Jewish state must be destroyed". The Palestinian-led parties, who have Jewish MPs, have repeatedly called for a two-state solution in which Israel is an independent state alongside Palestine. During the speech, Netanyahu cited past comments by Palestinian MPs, arguing that "a government that depends in any way on Ra’am or the Joint List must not be formed", and that a unity government would ensure the Jewish state would "stand for eternity". Reactions to Netanyahu The speech garnered condemnation from much of Eisenkot's bloc, with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett from the centre-right Together alliance interrupting Netanyahu during the speech, while centre-left Democrats leader Yair Golan stormed out mid-speech. "What about a State Commission of Inquiry? Why don’t you declare Qatar an enemy state? What about your Qatari advisers?" Bennett reportedly said. Haaretz recently reported that Netanyahu and his allies in the Israeli media had prepared the ground for an attack on the Palestinian vote, which sharply intensified following the elections, with loyalist Shin Bet chief David Zini opening investigations into election fraud and foreign interference in the last two weeks. Meanwhile, Netanyahu called to form a Jewish-only government under his leadership, despite his bloc having only 53 seats. "I sat and listened to the delusional, divisive, hate-filled and shameful speech of the outgoing prime minister, in which he exploited a state occasion at the swearing-in of the 26th Knesset," Eisenkot, who earlier this week was tasked with forming a governing coalition, said on X. She saw her husband and daughter off to Egypt. An Israeli sniper killed her on the way home Read More » "I became even more convinced that he is unfit to remain in office for even one minute more," the former army chief stated, adding that Netanyahu's rule was "dividing Israel and endangering its security". Following the speech, Eisenkot cancelled coalition talks with Netanyahu's Likud party, the Israel Hayom newspaper reported. According to Ynet's report, Netanyahu said the word "Jewish" 20 times during his speech, while the word "unity" was said only four times, and he didn't mention any of the leaders of his opposition bloc. On the other hand, words that relates to Palestinians, which include "Palestinians, Arabs, terrorism and Caliphate", among others, were said by Netanyahu 36 times, according to Ynet's analysis. Mansour Abbas, leader of the conservative Ra'am party, said on Tuesday that he was "astounded that the prime minister would exploit a state occasion to lie, to incite and to spread blood libel about the Arab parties". "We don’t want to establish an Islamist state or an Arab state. This is where the State of Israel was established," he told Israel's Channel 12, adding that "we stand for peace and for ending the conflict with a two-state solution". The left-wing Joint List described Netanyahu's speech as "deranged, inciting and racist". "The bloodthirsty and criminal prime minister is in a state of complete hysteria," the party stated, adding that they were "committed to doing everything in our power" to remove Netanyahu from power and send his government "to the dustbin of history".