Let’s get this party startedpic.twitter.com/lnfo0WIJZi
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Rivlin: People in Herut know and remember that being in the position requires leadership and patience...I am disturbed by voices that say ‘if I lost control, I have nothing to do here.’
Basically, Rivlin is telling the opposition to stop feeling like a victim and start working to represent the people who voted for them.
See that one empty MK seat? It belongs to Shelly Yacimovich, who decided not to come back early from a vacation abroad for the Knesset inauguration.pic.twitter.com/CFhc8HleLz
Rivlin says about Arab citizens of Israel “they’re Arabs, and nothing bad will happen if you say so.”
Rivlin calls to put an end to the “dangerous collision between the legislative branch and the judicial branch...We should keep the independence of each branch.”
Rivlin: We’re a Jewish and democratic, democratic and Jewish state in one.
.@YuliEdelstein swore himself in as an MK and Rivlin passed him his gavel.
Now someone is reading from Psalms.
A recording of Ben-Gurion declaring the establishment of the State of Israel is playing.
Now it’s Edelstein’s turn to speak. “Jerusalem, the capital in which the Knesset is found, is the same Jerusalem for which the Hasmoneans fought & for which our ancestors prayed...Our deep roots are found in Psalms by King David & Independence Scroll by David Ben-Gurion.”
Edelstein: I grew up behind the communist Iron Curtain where Zionism was forbidden and Judaism was hidden, and despite that, I am here.
Sara Netanyahu deigned to arrive. Maybe she waited for Rivlin to be done speaking, since the Netanyahus don’t like him?pic.twitter.com/jRNSMpC7d1
Edelstein calls on MKs to avoid “shameful and violent discourse” and to remember who sent them here and to whom they owe an accounting - the voter. Good luck.
Edelstein suggests MKs talk as if their children are in the audience. This is assuming that they are good parents. OK, OK, I’ll behave.
Edelstein: If we remember with every bill we propose and every parliamentary session that all the citizens of Israel are watching us, I am sure that we will fulfill our commitments together, successfully.
Now it’s time for the MKs to be sworn in. Edelstein reads: “I commit to be faithful to the State of Israel and to faithfully fulfill my job in the Knesset.” Knesset Secretary Yardena Maller Horowitz reads all the MKs’ names, one by one they say “I commit.”
They commit and don’t swear, because swearing is frowned upon in Jewish law.
OK, now it’s official, there’s another Lahav in the Knesset. Hi @YoraiLahav!
Who knew Arye Deri and Rafi Peretz are such besties? Didn’t catch a pic but Deri got up and walked over to give Peretz a very enthusiastic handshake when he was sworn in.
Huh. Turns out Shelly Yacimovich is not the only absent MK. Aida Touma-Sliman isn’t here, either.
MKs sing Hatikva, the national anthem. The bloc of empty seats are for the Arab parties.pic.twitter.com/AzbFl19x7L
OK, now there’s a vote on whether Edelstein will remain Speaker for a third term.
Edelstein stays speaker with 101 in favor, 0 opposed. Meretz abstained.
MK Jabareen was also absent, apparently to protest the national anthem, state symbol and flag, which he says are racist and not democratichttps://twitter.com/DrJabareen/status/1123200809657933824?s=09 …
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